The Windcaller and the Coyote
by Alkaline Lady
Summary: R&R wanted. Final Chapter is up. Fluffy-chan=OOC and I/K pairing *not for Kikyou fans*
1. The Windcaller and the Coyote: New girl,...

Kagome yawned and looked over at her small travel alarm clock. Two thirty was emblazoned in bright green digital numbers. She shifted beneath her blankets and carefully sat up so she didn't disturb Shippou-chan who was sleeping at the foot of her bed roll. She looked around and saw that both Miroku-sama and Inu-Yasha were also asleep. The air was still and cold around her and she pulled her sweater closer around herself and began to pack up her things.   
She heard the boys shift in their sleep and took great care to avoid waking any of them. The last thing she needed was a scene between her and her half demon companion in front of the priest and the little fox demon before she left.   
She hauled the enormous hiking bag onto the back of her bike and pushed it away from the campsite. Miroku knew she was leaving, so did Shippou, Inu-Yasha would just have to deal with it.  
Making sure she was out of hearing distance Kagome got onto her bike and pedaled gently toward the Bone Well. The path was a little rocky and the bike bounced along but not unpleasantly.   
It was summer and the sun was beginning to come up even though it was only two forty five. Birds were stirring in the trees and chirped quietly. She hated that she had to go to summer classes instead of staying but it couldn't be helped. With her constant trips back and forth between her world and this one, time left little of itself to do homework with. Besides that she needed to spend time with her family too.   
She heaved a sigh and dismounted her bicycle as she moved toward the well. She heard a rustle of leaves behind her and knew that Inu-Yasha was standing behind her. She turned and let the bike fall to the ground.   
"You're leaving?" Inu-Yasha asked blankly.  
He always did this to her, he tried to make her feel guilty enough to stay longer. Sometimes it worked, most of the time it didn't. He sighed and shifted uneasily and Kagome felt that familiar pang of irritation. He just didn't seem to understand that she had a life beyond him and the Shikon Jewel.   
"I'll come back after class is over." Kagome said, "But I can't stay too long, you know that."  
"You always have those stupid classes." he muttered and looked down at the ground.  
Kagome smiled, "Seems that way doesn't it? But once I'm through with summer school I'll be spending so much time here you'll want to get rid of me."   
She put her arms around him and squeezed him close to her and felt him embrace her back. She found it easier to touch him now. She spent so much time with him that it was almost like he was her right arm or something, to lose him would be like losing her hand or her leg. She'd never admit it to anyone else but she needed him.  
"That's not even possible." she heard him whisper.  
She felt a little guilty, but not as bad as she would have if he hadn't come to see her off. He gave her a small hug and then let her go.  
"Keep track of that bike okay?" Kagome said unnecessarily.   
Inu-Yasha nodded a little and watched her climb into the well and disappear into it's dark depths.  
  
******  
  
Kagome sat down in her seat at the front of the class and waited patiently for the late bell to sound and several of the other girls and boys to pour into the classroom. Finally when everyone was seated the teacher stood up.  
"Students, we have an addition to our summer class. She's a transfer student from the United States. I want you all to be as helpful as possible to her, seeing as how she probably doesn't know the language very well and will need some help finding her way around." the teacher said.  
The door opened and in stepped a girl about Kagome's height wearing baggy blue jeans and a t-shirt. Her dark hair was long enough to reach past her shoulder blades and it had been pulled into a loose ponytail at the nape of her neck, around which hung three different necklaces, one was a black silk cord with a pewter pentagram hanging from it, another was a silver chain from which an angel hung, the last was a leather cord that had several old looking beads on it and three oddly familiar fangs. The girl's eyes were a hazel-brown and she seemed to drink in everything around her.   
She glanced at Kagome and made eye contact and Kagome felt a strange feeling run up the base of her spine. The only time she'd felt it before was when she'd been around a powerful demon, like Sesshomaru, Inu-Yasha's older brother, or even around Naraku. But the girl looked no more than human.   
"Konnichiwa. My name is Wildrose."   
"Seating is first come first serve." the teacher said.  
"Thank you much." the girl replied in fractured Japanese.  
"There's a seat by Kagome, if you'll sit down we can start today's lesson. And if there is anything you do not understand feel free to ask." the teacher replied.  
The girl nodded and sat down beside Kagome and pulled out a sketchbook from her small black leather bag. She opened the sketchbook and Kagome nearly gasped at the sketch she glimpsed. A kitsune looked innocently out at her from the pages, almost an exact duplicate of Shippou-chan. The only differences lay in the way the kitsune dressed and the way it's face had been painted, it wore what looked like hide clothing and on it's face had been painted three orange stripes on either cheek.   
The girl must have noticed Kagome staring, she flipped the pages dramatically until she came to a somewhat blank page where she started to copy down notes from the board.  
  
******  
  
"Wildrose! Hey Wildrose! Wait up!" Kagome called to the girl.  
Wildrose stopped walking and turned around to face Kagome as she ran toward her. Kagome halted a short distance away from her and panted to catch her breath.  
"What do you want?" Wildrose asked.  
"I saw one of your drawings earlier. It was amazing. I was wondering if I could see it?" Kagome asked.  
Wildrose's eyes widened slightly, "You want to see…my drawings?" she seemed to puzzle over it a little then gave her answer, "I guess you can, but I'm warning you, you better not laugh."  
Wildrose handed the book to Kagome like it was made of pure gold and Kagome was careful to treat it as such. She carefully looked through the pages until she came to the Shippou-chan clone. She studied the face carefully and noted that there were a few subtle differences. No one would mistake Shippou for this kitsune. It was much darker in coloring.   
She went through the pictures taking care not to wrinkle any of the pages. Many of the drawings were of kitsune, most of them young like Shippou, but some of them in their true fox demon forms. There was even one of an aged fox demon, it's many moon-white tails waving behind it like a banner.  
"These are beautiful." Kagome muttered.  
Wildrose smiled, "Thanks. Not many people find them as cool as I do. Do you like to draw?"  
"Oh yeah, but I'm not nearly as good as this." Kagome said, "Where are you staying? Somewhere around here?"  
"I live about five minutes away from here. I'm just headed over to the art supply store to pick up some screen tone. Want to come with me?" Wildrose asked.  
Kagome paused for a minute. She'd told Inu-Yasha she'd come back after class was over, but he wouldn't know the difference if she showed up five minutes late, would he?   
"S-sure." Kagome finally shrugged and started walking with Wildrose towards the 'art supply store'.  
It turned out to be a kind of book store and gaming store in one. The kind of place nerds hung out, but Wildrose didn't seem much like a nerd. Wildrose casually went up to the desk and waited for the cashier to notice her.  
"Can I help you?" the man asked.  
"I ordered some screen tone the other day. My name is Wildrose Windcaller."   
Kagome almost laughed at the name. It was kind of silly, 'Windcaller'? What kind of a last name was that?   
The man nodded and pulled a clear plastic briefcase out from behind the desk and handed it to her.   
"It's paid for already. Do you want the receipt?" he asked.  
Wildrose shook her head and Kagome followed her out. They walked as far as the stairs to Kagome's house next to the temple and Kagome had discovered she and Wildrose shared a lot of the same interests.   
Wildrose watched Kagome climb the first few stairs said a quick goodbye and took off running toward her house down the street.   
"Wait, Wildrose you forgot your sketchbook!" Kagome yelled holding up the book, but Wildrose didn't seem to pay any attention she just kept running. "Oh well, I'll give it back tomorrow in class."   
  
******  
  
"She is good isn't she?" Miroku muttered to himself as he looked through the sketchbook. "But in all my travels I've never seen kitsune like this before."   
Kagome shrugged, "So she couldn't have been here?"   
"Not here, no. The kitsune around here dress like the people in order to better deceive them." Miroku explained.  
"Maybe Shippou would know about it." Kagome wondered out loud.  
Just as the next impending question crossed her lips Kagome and Miroku turned at the sound of an explosion. Inu-Yasha came barreling out of the woods chasing Shippou-chan.   
Kagome put her face in her hands and shook her head as Miroku closed the book and held it protectively away from the two quarreling demon boys.   
"Shippou, I wanted to talk to you." Kagome said finally.   
Shippou looked up from his game of torture of pulling on Inu-Yasha's dog ears and jumped down to the ground jumping out of Inu-Yasha's grasp. He hid behind Kagome as she opened the sketchbook that Miroku handed over seeing as the boys had stopped trying to destroy each other for the moment.   
Kagome opened it to the page where she'd confused Shippou with the other kitsune.   
"Do you recognize this?" Kagome asked.  
"Yeah. It's a kitsune. So what?" Shippou asked almost irritably, he'd interrupted his fun game just to see a drawing.   
"Do recognize the way he's dressed?" Kagome asked.  
Shippou shook his head vigorously. Inu-Yasha leaned over Kagome's shoulder and looked hard at the drawing.  
"Looks like some of the stuff from the Western Lands." he muttered.   
Kagome raised an eyebrow at him, "How would you know?"   
Inu-Yasha rolled his eyes, "You don't think Father and Sesshomaru would let me stay in the dark about things in the west do you? Sesshomaru, at least, described this stuff to me, even brought some things back with him. Though I doubt any of it survived the fifty years I was gone."   
"I'll just bet that Wildrose was watching one of those dumb Old West movies while she was drawing this. Then again she is part Native American….maybe she felt inspired by one of those dances she was telling me about."  
"Nay-tive….Amer-ee-kan?" Inu-Yasha molded his mouth around the words. "What's that?"  
"A human who lived in a land far west from here, or east, depending on which way you want to go. They dressed kinda like that. I wonder if they had demons too?" Kagome replied.  
"Probably." Miroku said. "Demons live in all manner of places."  
Kagome shrugged, if there were demons in Tokyo's past, who was to say there weren't in the Americas.   
She stood up and brushed the back of her skirt off gingerly and shoved the sketchbook into her backpack. The others stood up with her.  
"Are you going to stay with us tonight Kagome-sama?" Miroku asked.  
"Sorry. I can't. Nothing personal but I prefer to get my school work done in the privacy and quiet of my bedroom." Kagome replied. "Besides, Wildrose gave me her phone number. I'm going to see if I can meet her somewhere so I can return it."  
Miroku shrugged, "I wish I could meet this 'Wildrose'."   
"Feh. You wish you could meet anything female that might give you a night in her bedroll." Inu-Yasha snapped.  
******  
  
The flames danced higher and higher into the night air as the Kachina-dancer swirled her way gracefully along the edge of the circle of light. The flickering light played across her bare skin in a wild pattern, exaggerating every move she made. Her black hair and the mask with the face of a coyote was the only thing covering her dignity from prying eyes she did not know were there.   
The rhythm in her head stopped suddenly and her dancing ceased abruptly. She held her arms out, palms raised to the sky and threw her head back, letting out an animalistic howl. The ceremonial paint on her body was a deep crimson red, it started to sink into her skin until the crimson red was just like a scar beneath her upper layers.   
"The years have not changed you I see." the voice came from behind her, spoken in low musical tones, and spoke to her in her native Anasazi language. "What brings you to Japan…Coyote?"  
Coyote turned to see the source of the voice. A demon, with luminous white hair that came to his waist, amber-gold eyes that bore into her soul, red stripes on either cheek and a crescent moon in the middle of his forehead. She pulled off the mask in order to better look at him.  
"Sesshomaru…how fitting you should be here…A dog demon watching the dance of the Coyote, how…ironic." the Coyote said in Japanese, knowing full well he could speak any language, "I am here to reap my seeds of revenge. You've taken something of mine and I want them back."  
"After all this time? Dear Coyote, I would have thought you would have wakened sooner." Sesshomaru laughed cruelly.   
"You son of a bitch! I don't give a damn how long it's been!" she snarled and took a swipe at him with a crystal dagger, he jumped lithely out of the way.   
She aimed another swipe at him and he caught her wrist in his own clawed hand. He pulled her close to him and inhaled deeply, catching every bit of her scent.  
"You are not the Coyote I knew." he said, his face was close to hers. "But all the same, Coyote lives through you. A new lifetime, a new host I suppose."   
She felt her stomach tighten into a knot as he pulled her closer. The familiar heat she'd felt around him in a lifetime before rose to her face.   
"Listen then, and listen well, for I will not repeat myself! Coyote is old…and you are new to her game." His free hand caressed her bare back, "And her game is one to be played by two. You can't wield that power alone, let me help you and we will share in Coyote's glory."  
Coyote felt soft fur brush against her legs as his tail surrounded her. She knew this had been done before, not by her necessarily but through a different host. It was a foreign feeling but also incredibly familiar.   
Suddenly, something inside her snapped and she pushed away from him, fell back into the gravel and scrambled into the firelight, hoping to the gods whatever magic it held would keep Sesshomaru at bay.   
It didn't. He advanced, closing the gap between them in seconds, he knelt down beside her, then thinking the better of it, straddled her stomach and looked down at her, his amber eyes unreadable for the most part but full of malice at the same time. He held up a gracefully formed hand up into the light for her to see, caressed her jaw line and traced a path down her neck and chest until he touched his own leg. Then he leaned over her and thrust his lower arm into the bonfire behind them.   
Coyote's counter part screamed and waited for the horrid smell of burning flesh to reach her heightened senses. But it never came. Sesshomaru withdrew his hand from the flames and held it up for her to see again, the flesh had been scorched in areas, but no blisters or open redness marred the smooth surface of his skin otherwise. Even now the scorch marks were disappearing, his demon blood was healing the damage faster than any human could hope to recover.  
He touched her stomach with his hand and she nearly cried out when searing pain spread between his fingers and into her belly. He bent to put his face next to hers and ran his tongue over her lower lip.  
"Remember, I offered myself to you, Coyote." he whispered and with that his weight disappeared from her along with his existence.  
Coyote touched the red area where his hand had been gingerly and felt with a certain amount of gratification that her demon powers were pushing away the hurt and the redness even as she thought of his words.  
"Sorry to say, dear Sesshomaru, I learned a bit more from that than you think. Tetsusaiga and that half-breed brother of yours are my targets now." Coyote smiled.  
  
******  
  
"Hey Wildrose, you forgot your sketchbook last night." Kagome said sweetly as she handed the book back to the strangely silent girl, Kagome was praying that Shippou and Inu-Yasha hadn't left prints from their paws/claws on the pages.  
Wildrose smiled half-heartedly and Kagome perched on the edge of her desk watching the girl quietly.   
"What's up? You're awfully quiet." Kagome asked.  
Wildrose looked up for a second, still toying with a glass bead that had been strung onto a strand of her hair, "Oh. I was just thinking about a…drawing that I did a while ago."  
"Really? Can I see?" Kagome asked.  
"Only if you promise not to laugh or to tell anyone." Wildrose said reluctantly.  
Kagome raised her hand and crossed it over her heart, "I swear on my honor as a human being not to laugh or tell anyone anything you don't want me to."  
Wildrose smiled and fished around in her backpack for the new sketchbook she'd started and opened up to a page where a great big bonfire raged in the middle of the page. She handed it to Kagome and heard a barely audible gasp.  
Kagome noticed the naked woman dancing around the fire exuberantly with her black hair free flowing and her face covered by a Native American mask, but it was the figure looming in the background like a wraith that caught her attention. Hanging just beyond the reach of the firelight was a white haired demon that looked an awful lot like Inu-Yasha's brother Sesshomaru. The robe had been shed obviously, but he still wore a pair of white leggings and had his tail wrapped up around him as he normally kept it.  
He seemed out of place but oddly at ease with the surroundings. Even with the spears laced with leather and covered in feathers and demon skulls didn't seem to bother him. He just stood at the edge of the firelight's circle and stared enigmatically at the dancer.  
Kagome felt her heart jump and her blood run cold, but she laughed sheepishly, "Why on Earth would you think I'd laugh at this. It's beautiful." she meant it too, though dark and pregnant with terror the picture was incredibly beautiful.   
"It's about unrequited love. I just wish the men in my pictures were real." Wildrose said wistfully.  
He was...about five hundred years ago. And he wasn't at all someone you'd like to meet. Kagome thought bitterly, but how could Wildrose depict Sesshomaru so clearly without even having met him.  
"So, how do you think of these guys?" Kagome asked, cold sweat started to bead up at her temple.  
"I dream of them. Last night I had a dream with him in it, I was the girl." she added and gestured to the nude dancer. "He scared the living daylights out of me, but I still wish he was real."   
Wildrose gazed at the page serenely. Kagome felt her heart starting to calm down. Jeez. Even in dreams he's a creep.   
Feeling her need for empathy Kagome rested her hand on Wildrose's arm and her thoughts turned to Inu-Yasha suddenly. The all too few romantic moments she spent with Inu-Yasha were always like dreams. His golden eyes would be warm and soothing one minute, his heart melting only for her and the next minute he could be fighting some evil monster possessing a fragment of the Shikon Jewel. The way Sesshomaru was staring at the dancer in the picture looked and felt no different. Then and there Kagome decided that there needed to be more moments like that, even if it meant tackling Inu-Yasha to the floor and kissing him until his lips fell off.  
"Don't worry," Kagome said, comforting both herself and Wildrose at the same time, "You'll find your knight in shining armor." Or kimono, whichever the case may be.  
The bell signaling the beginning of class rang and she and Wildrose heard the echo of feet coming down the hall and took their places while the class began to fill.  
  
******  
  
"So where were you?" Inu-Yasha nearly demanded when Kagome emerged from the well.  
Kagome looked around, seeing he was alone. No Shippou or Miroku or Sango to interrupt. She pulled herself from the well and embraced Inu-Yasha, resting her head against his shoulder, much to his shock and a little discomfort.  
"Are you alright?" Inu-Yasha asked cautiously.  
"Yeah." Kagome muttered, "Just feeling different today I guess."   
Inu-Yasha felt his face flush as he inhaled her scent, she smelled great. Whatever kind of mood she was in he liked it, though he wasn't sure quite what to do.  
"You're trying to confuse me again." he sounded pained.   
"Yes, yes I am." Kagome smiled gently and tightened her embrace.  
Inu-Yasha's stomach tightened and he felt a little dizzy, moments like these were few and far between, and he expected any moment now that Shippou or that lousy hentai monk to come out of the woods and ruin it.  
Groaning inwardly, he embraced her lightly. "You want to go to the village or what?"  
"Just a couple minutes like this, please?" she whispered.  
I don't think I can take a couple of minutes like this. I'll do something stupid and you'll pile on the 'Sit's. Inu-Yasha, you bone head, what are you into? He thought anxiously.  
Finally Kagome let go and he stepped back, welcoming the sound of someone rustling through the bushes. It gave him a reason to step a little further away from her to cool off, after all he was a male and he was a demon. Kagome always did this to him, started the launch sequence then wanted to cool her jets and slow down afterward. It was incredibly frustrating, which is probably why fighting was his second love.   
Inu-Yasha cleared his throat when he realized Miroku and Sango had materialized from the woods. He regained his composure and turned back to Kagome who stared off into space somewhat dreamily.  
"Kagome-sama! You're back! We were getting a bit worried." Sango said. "What with the talk of a demon sighting the other night."  
"Watch your mouth wench!" Inu-Yasha snapped irritably, he was always irritable after an incident with Kagome.  
Sango frowned, "What bug crawled up your pants?"   
Inu-Yasha felt himself flush again. Kagome stepped forward in his defense, "Not all demons are bad ones Sango-san."   
"Well, this demon, I know is bad news. The description sounds like Sesshomaru. He was with another demon apparently--and."  
"Were they around a fire?" Kagome asked eagerly.  
"How should I know? I wasn't the one who saw it." Sango replied.  
Inu-Yasha's ears pricked, what did a fire have to do with anything? Sesshomaru was in town and that was enough to think about.  
"Sorry." Kagome said blushing, "Anyway, what else?"  
"That's what I was getting to, the person who talked to me about it said that the female demon he was with just showed up a while ago. Meaning there might be a Shikon Shard involved." Sango finished.  
"So, what do we do? I can't go far, I've got school in the morning and if I miss a day it means I have to make it up." Kagome asked.  
"WE won't do anything. Sesshomaru's not going to come close to you again, do you hear me?" Inu-Yasha snapped.  
Kagome's eyes widened, "I'm talking about that demon he was with. What about her, do you think we could track her down at least?"   
"We can take care of that on our own. You don't have to be here for that Kagome-sama." Miroku said.   
"What if she has a Shikon Shard? What then?" Kagome asked indignantly.   
She couldn't believe they were being so accommodating as to leave her out of this completely, she looked to Inu-Yasha for help but found none. They were all silent as they stared at her.   
"We'll send Inu-Yasha to get you, he knows where your 'school' is right?" Miroku asked.  
Kagome felt her temper flare. Inu-Yasha stretched out a hand to touch her shoulder and without really thinking about it she heard the word 'SIT!' come out of her mouth and watched her half-demon companion eat dirt. With that she stormed off in the opposite direction knowing only Inu-Yasha would follow, if he got up.   
Kagome walked through bramble bushes ignoring the pricking and scratching of the thorns. She kept walking until she could no longer see the path to the village or the clearing where the Bone Well was and watched her feet as she trudged through the thick brush and leaves.   
Finally she reached a clearing and her senses were barraged with the smell of burned wood. She saw a massive pile of ash and charcoal in the middle of the clearing and a broken spear standing upright on the other side of the fire pit. There were holes in a large circle around the fire pit, they were giving the fire a pretty wide berth.   
She walked around inspecting the holes until she came to the spear. The handle was made out of a light wood and the head of the spear, though lolling to the side and hanging by perhaps only a sinew of leather, was carved out of some kind of old rock, or bone. The wooden handle was entwined with leather and from the head hung three feathers, two were black and white the third was jet black. Touching the spear sent a chill down Kagome's spine.  
She felt a heavy hand clap down on her shoulder and she nearly jumped out of her skin and let out a small scream, stumbling back into the dirt. She relaxed only when she saw the familiar red gi and white hair.  
"Jeez! Inu-Yasha! Don't do that!" Kagome nearly shouted.  
He knelt by her side watching her intently, "Sorry."  
"What?" Kagome heard but she didn't believe.  
"I said sorry. I didn't mean to scare you like that." he said with a nod, not shifting his gaze he spoke, "What were you looking at anyway?"  
"This spear."   
"Looks pretty useless." Inu-Yasha said, "It's poor craftsmanship too."  
"Why, just 'cause it's broken? That's not what I meant. This place is familiar." Kagome replied.  
She looked around again and could see vividly in her minds eye the dancer and Sesshomaru standing where she and Inu-Yasha were. The dancer whirling majestically and Sesshomaru staring at her with emotions running so deep that they were impossible to read.   
"We've been in this area before." Inu-Yasha told her, "Remember…Yura of the Hair?"  
"Not what I meant either. I remember being in this area before but this setting looks just like the picture Wildrose showed me today." Kagome said.  
"I'm getting pretty sick of hearing about this 'Wildrose'. These places exist in your world right? Well she could have visited them in your time and imagined it." Inu-Yasha growled.  
"Maybe, but in the picture she showed me there was a girl dancing nude around a fire in a circle of spears. That and the fact that there was a man in the background kinda makes me think she's post-cognate, or she's been here before." Kagome said, she wasn't telling the whole truth and it gnawed at her somewhat.   
"Well if she's not either of those maybe she's a pervert." Inu-Yasha scowled.  
He was standing and looking down at her disapprovingly.  
"Do you really feel that way or are you just mad I said the S-word again?" Kagome teased.  
"Your smell said you were upset, I should have said something." Inu-Yasha said, loosening up a bit.   
"Help me up." Kagome said holding out her hand to him.  
He took hold of her hand and was instantly pulled forward and off his balance and toppled into her. He looked up at her, stunned and confused.  
"Kagome--?" he muttered.  
"I need some advice." she interrupted.  
She shifted beneath him and then moved him so he was half lying in her lap and started toying with his hair.   
He felt his face heat up and knew he was blushing, he tried half-heartedly tried to sit up and get away from her but she pulled him back.   
"I keep wondering if Wildrose knows about this place. I want to know if I should confront her about it?" Kagome explained.  
"Why should you care?"   
"She drew Sesshomaru. I could tell it was him. And it matched Sango's all too brief description, he was with a female, I couldn't tell if she was a demon or not. But they were here. If she's been here, she could be involved with it." Kagome replied.  
"Then ask her."  
"What if she hasn't been here? And she really did just imagine everything? I'll look insane and she'll still know about this place. Then she could blackmail me, using you and the Well." Kagome countered, resting her chin on his head.  
"You know how to make something simple into a bloody mess, you know that?" Inu-Yasha sighed irritably.  
Kagome laughed. "Sorry."  
"You should ask her and if she says she hasn't then you can bring her here and we can convince her to keep it a secret." Inu-Yasha said trying to sit up.  
She pulled him into a hug, "Okay, thank you."   
Inu-Yasha felt dizzy again, she was being confusing again and if she didn't stop…well, he could hear her repeating the damned S-word so many times he wouldn't know which direction was up.   
Finally she let him stand up and he helped her to her feet.  
"Are you going to go home tonight?" he asked.  
Kagome sighed, "Yes…I have to. I've got three more days of school then I've got two days off. I hope Mom doesn't have anything planned for the weekend."  
Inu-Yasha nodded. It would be good for both of them, it would give him some time to blow off steam and her time to set her senses straight. But he did walk her to the Well and watch her leave.  
  
******  
  
Wildrose and Kagome sat on the steps of the school licking at ice cream cones. Over a course of three days they'd become pretty close friends, Wildrose had even offered to show Kagome the house of the family she was staying with.   
Kagome felt her stomach knot up as she knew she'd have to ask Wildrose in the next day or two. Her courage seemed to have built up enough so she opened her mouth to speak.  
"Wildrose, have you ever seen the creatures you draw?" Kagome asked.  
"I think I have. I can't be sure. It's like, I dream of them, but the dreams are really real, so real I can smell them, touch them even." Wildrose replied toying with her bead and tooth necklace. "I wish they were real."  
"They are. I've seen them." Kagome said, she braced herself for the unbelieving criticism that she was sure would follow, but it never came.  
"For real?" Wildrose asked.  
Kagome looked at her, "Yeah. I even know a couple of them."  
"You're making fun of me."  
"No I'm dead serious! You want to meet them?" Kagome retorted.  
Wildrose's eyes widened and she stopped mid-lick in her ice cream, "Sure! I mean, yes, I'd love to!"  
Kagome smiled and tossed her empty cone into the trashcan beside the stairs. Wildrose followed suit and they ran all the way to the temple and ditched their backpacks in Kagome's bedroom and made their way to the Well house.  
Kagome looked around to make sure all the worshippers had gone home for the day. She waved to her grandfather and mother politely and darted into the well house with Wildrose in tow.  
She climbed onto the edge of the well and saw Wildrose pause, her face was a mask of contempt and hurt.  
"Kagome, if your lying….tell me now and I won't get angry." Wildrose said.   
"I'm not. Come on. All we have to do is jump into it."   
Wildrose hesitantly climbed onto the frame of the well, Kagome counted to three on her fingers and they both pushed off the sides of the well and fell through.   
The feeling for Wildrose was incredible, she half-expected her feet to automatically touch the dirt at the bottom of the well but instead she didn't stop falling. It was like she'd missed the ground all together, after a minute of hanging suspended in mid-air her feet finally touched ground. She felt disappointment sink into her stomach as she saw Kagome standing next to her.  
"Just as I thought…" Wildrose sighed.  
Kagome shook her head and touched Wildrose's arm. "Look up."  
Wildrose did as she was told, instead of the dark of the well house she saw blue sky and trees. She gasped and followed Kagome's example by climbing up the side of the well opening. Kagome pushed out of the well first and helped Wildrose through.   
"Kagome!" a little voice shouted.  
Rustling of leaves and the sound of laughter chorused in Wildrose's ears. She looked to see the source and saw a little boy with red-brown hair and bright green eyes in Kagome's arms. The boy had a great bushy tail and tiny fangs to complete the look.  
"Whoa!" Wildrose's mind was slapping itself, "This can't be real."  
"Shippou-chan, where's Inu--" Kagome started.  
"Right here." Inu-Yasha spoke up.  
He landed with inhuman grace in front of them. Kagome smiled, the perfect entrance.   
"I could practically smell you from the village." Inu-Yasha smiled.  
Kagome grinned even wider then turned to Wildrose, who stared at Inu-Yasha and glanced back to Shippou then at Kagome.  
"G-g…I th-think the proper phrase would be…'m-my stars and garters'." Wildrose stammered.  
Shippou looked up, "Who's that?"  
"That's Wildrose, the girl I was talking to you about." Kagome said, she moved closer to Inu-Yasha who glared back at Wildrose as if daring her to say something.  
"Oh." Shippou smiled.  
"Wildrose, this little one here, the kitsune, is Shippou-chan. The older one, the hanyou, is Inu-Yasha." Kagome explained.  
Wildrose blinked several times and even smacked herself, "This is some kind of mean joke. I mean, who'd imagine a demon-guy wearing a red yukata with dog ears. Yah this is real. Someone pinch me."   
She circled Inu-Yasha like a hawk, looking him over at all angles. Kagome blushed and laughed.  
"If you have questions you can ask them you know." Kagome said.  
"How come he's got dog ears? And what's up with the coloring?" Wildrose asked.  
"What?!" Inu-Yasha asked indignantly.  
"He's half demon. Half-dog demon more specifically." Kagome answered.  
"Well he can obviously talk…Hm…Here's a question for you…Inu-Yasha was it? Would you call offspring of a human and a dog-demon puppies or babies?"  
Inu-Yasha blushed and stuttered something incoherent then looked pleadingly at Kagome.   
"Wildrose…that's kinda personal…" Kagome laughed sheepishly.  
Kagome's face became serious as she looked at Wildrose, "But you have to agree to keep this just between us. No one else can know about this."   
"Feh. If she told anyone about it I doubt they'd believe her. She's crazy enough as it is." Inu-Yasha retorted hotly.  
He sniffed the air, coupled with Kagome's scent, her being so close to him. Wildrose's stood out like a sore thumb. Kagome smelled gently sweet and calm, feeling like water lilies. Wildrose's scent was also gentle but it wasn't as appealing. She reminded him a lot of the mint plants that grew around trees, the smelled gentle but cool.   
"He's right. Nobody would believe me. They'd probably send me back to the United States too. I don't want that, Japan is supposed to have some of the best schools, and I want the best. I'm not going to get stuck with a two-bit job like my parents had." Wildrose explained. "Besides, this place is so cool I can't believe you showed it to me at all! If it were me I'd have kept it to myself."   
Kagome nodded. Inu-Yasha looked at the two girls intently.  
"Well Kagome, we waited for your 'weekend' so that you could be with the group when we started tracking that demon woman. Are you and your friend going to stay?" Inu-Yasha asked.  
Kagome glanced at Wildrose, "I've got to call my uh---family and let them know where I'll be the next two days, but I think it'll be cool with them."  
******  
  
  
Kagome grunted beneath her breath and flicked a bug off her ear. They'd been 'tracking' the demon woman for a while. Inu-Yasha said that her trail was cold from being left for three days hinting irritably at Kagome but kept following the signs of her travels.   
"We should start to head back." Kagome suggested.  
"Why?" Inu-Yasha demanded angrily.  
"I'm tired, Wildrose is tired, even Shippou is tired. We can't keep up with you." Kagome replied irritably.  
The truth was it wasn't exactly cold, and the swampy area they were in was filled with bugs and animals.  
"And---" Kagome added, "if you think I'm gonna sleep out here in this SMELLY swamp you're an idiot."  
Inu-Yasha growled and rolled his eyes. He was walking slightly ahead of the group. Sango rode on Kirara's back while Miroku, Kagome and Wildrose walked on foot beside the beast. Shippou clung to Wildrose's hair speaking up only once in a while to complain of exhaustion.  
"Hey, Kagome lighten up. It's just a swamp. I've camped out near one before, it's not that bad, besides the bugs." Wildrose laughed. "My only complaint is that I wanna see this big bad demon lady."   
Inu-Yasha smirked slightly as Kagome growled something, "Your friend is more of an adventurer than you are Kagome." he teased.  
"Shut up." Kagome muttered.  
Wildrose laughed, "So how far have you gotten with him?" she asked in English, hoping that no one else in the group besides Kagome and herself knew any of it.  
"Nani?!" Kagome nearly shrieked.  
"Kidding, kidding." Wildrose said in Japanese, "No seriously, how far?"   
Kagome blushed and lowered her head, "I haven't even told him." she said in fractured English.  
Inu-Yasha cocked his head toward the too, "What language is that?" he asked.  
"English. Why?" Wildrose asked, blushing furiously.  
"Stop speaking it. It's distracting." Inu-Yasha said.   
Wildrose cursed at him in English and watched Kagome's eyes widen and she cleared her throat.   
"I didn't even think you knew those words!" Kagome nearly cried.  
"You learn them VERY quickly when you go to the schools I do. " Wildrose smirked, "Besides, he's not the only one who swears like a sailor."   
Just as they started to make idle talk about homework Wildrose realized that nature called.   
"Um…Excuse me. Can we stop here? Onegai?" Wildrose asked politely.  
"What now? Do your poor toes hurt?" Inu-Yasha growled.  
"Inu-Yasha, be nice!" Kagome said grabbing hold of his yukata with one hand. "Yes, we'll stop. Besides it'll give me a chance to find a spot and set up camp."   
Inu-Yasha grumbled and let the rest of them stop. Wildrose gently disengaged Shippou from her hair and handed him off to Kagome.   
"I'll be right back." Wildrose muttered, glanced back then ran off into the woods leaving a silent group in her wake.  
"What's that about?" Shippou muttered.   
"Nature calls." Kagome blushed, "It's a wonder you people don't have portable bathrooms set up around here. A girl could get killed looking for a bush."  
  
  
******  
  
Wildrose had gone off into the woods to find a spot to relieve herself when she stopped about fifty yards away. She couldn't see her friends and she was sure they couldn't see her…  
A few moments later as she zipped up her blue jeans and pulled an alcohol pad out of her pocket and cleaned her hands with it and started to walk back toward the group.  
An odd feeling swept over her like a wave of nausea. The fangs on her necklace clicked together several times and the odd feeling pounded in her head angrily until she finally passed out.  
  
******  
  
Inu-Yasha sniffed the air tenuously. The girl Kagome had brought with her hadn't returned yet but Kagome insisted they stay put for decency's sake. His keen sense of smell picked up the scent he'd been looking for in the first place. It smelled of the dancing ground he and Kagome had visited earlier that week.   
In fact the air around them had become permeated with it. He moved closer to Kagome, his hand on the hilt of Tetsusaiga.  
"Where's that friend of yours?" Inu-Yasha demanded.  
"How should I know?" Kagome replied airily, it didn't occur to her that he had a reason to be worried, "She's probably on her way back now."   
"What's wrong Inu-Yasha?" Miroku asked, his game of getting Sango to look at him forgotten.   
"Kagome, try to see if you can sense a Shikon shard near by." Inu-Yasha commanded her.  
Kagome gave him an odd look but did as she was told, "Just the ones we---Wait! I do sense one. It's close, I can tell it's close---but"   
"But what?"   
"It's like something's in the way!" Kagome replied, her brows knitted together in frustration, "I can't sense it fully, it's like something's holding it back."   
A spear punctuated her sentence. Inu-Yasha grabbed Kagome and pulled her back as the spear landed with a thud, buried to the edge of it's stone head in the ground where her foot had been.  
Kagome and Inu-Yasha looked up and Kagome nearly screamed.   
"The Tetsusaiga," the figure growled, "the Jewel of Four Souls…I want the fragments and the sword now."   
The voice was feminine but was still filled with menace. Looking into the trees Kagome saw the dancer from the picture Wildrose had drawn in her full glory. This time the dancer had a skirt made of hide around her lower half, but her upper half remained bare of all clothing except for three painted stripes on either side of her rib-cage and an elaborate necklace with the fangs of big monsters hanging from the leather cord. To cover her face there was a big mask with the face of some kind of a dog, a wolf or a coyote Kagome hazarded to guess.  
Inu-Yasha drew Tetsusaiga from it's scabbard and stepped in front of Kagome, the others bared their weapons too.   
"Don't fool with me. Just hand over the sword and the pieces." the woman said.  
"Feh! Come down here and take them wench!" Inu-Yasha spat.  
"You don't want to do this, Pup." the woman said.   
She stepped off the tree branch and descended to their level. The priest Miroku was just dumb enough to, at that very moment, drop his staff, which landed with a clanging noise onto the ground.   
She turned slightly and watched Miroku half-way between a blush and a curse.  
"Ah…Miroku the monk…I have heard of you. And the demon slayer Sango…Imagine that, your reputations travel all the way to the lands far to the east and west of you. My tribe has marveled at your legends. Even of the bastard halfling you travel with, though his stories are welcomed with less joy than yours." the woman turned back to Inu-Yasha who held Tetsusaiga in front of him protecting both himself and Kagome from her.  
She smiled slightly and took a step toward them, Inu-Yasha lurched forward and swiped at her with the sword. As it had passed through many demons before her, Tetsusaiga, the Steel Cleaving Fang belonging to his father before being passed to Inu-Yasha, stopped short of it's target. Apparently not by his own choice.   
The woman cocked her head, "How now, Inu-Yasha, is it that your precious demonic sword is useless against me?"  
"Who…are you?" Inu-Yasha asked, sweating with effort as he tried to push the sword through her invisible barrier.  
"I am the daughter of the trickster spirit. His name is my name, I am Coyote." she said smiling maliciously.   
"I've heard of you! You don't belong here Coyote! Your lands are in America!" Kagome said suddenly.  
Inu-Yasha spared her a glance, how did Kagome know of this?   
"I am here for a reason, young human. As are you, I can tell." Coyote said.  
She pushed Inu-Yasha and the Tetsusaiga away with her hand. It looked like she'd just barely touched him but he was sent sprawling into the dirt and leaves off to the side.  
"The sword can wait…where are those shards you possess?" Coyote asked.  
Kagome gripped the chain she kept the shards on tightly in her hand, not knowing or caring whether Coyote could sense them or not.   
"Why? Why would the trickster spirit need the Jewel?" Kagome demanded backing up slowly.  
Inu-Yasha was on his feet and back in front of Kagome sword drawn and looking angrier than ever.  
Coyote smiled at Inu-Yasha sweetly, then extended an arm toward him, her hands scorching hot as she touched him between the eyes. The moment her skin touched his he froze, memories seeped into his head, memories that he'd pushed away for a while. He felt Tetsusaiga shrink in his hands and his knees buckle beneath him.  
"Inu-Yasha!" Kagome shouted, she knelt at his side, trying to get him to get up.  
He was on his knees, his hands gripping his ears and pressing his face into the ground. He whimpered and muttered things under his breath.   
The memories were too much to bear for him. Memories of his mother's still form, the sound of their pounding on the door, running through the forest with the sounds of his pursuers close behind him. Sesshomaru hadn't even been their to defend his father's halfling son, he'd been off in the Western lands following his own dreams. Finally they rested on events with Kikyo. His claws piercing her shoulder, her blood soaking his hands, her arrow piercing his flesh and lastly the jewel, falling uselessly to the ground where she reclaimed it.   
He whimpered when he opened his minds eye and saw Kagome standing there with a look of sheer terror on her face as the Centipede Woman tore through the under brush…'I'm not Kikyo! I'm Kagome! Ka-go-me! Got it?'…'My elder sister…Is dead…The same day she put the spell on you'…'Am I just Kikyo's replacement?"  
Kagome however still knelt by his side shaking him. What had Coyote done?  
"What did you do to him?" Kagome demanded angrily.  
"Immobilized him. Now, give me the jewel shards and the sword. Then I'll leave." Coyote sighed, tossing back the black hair that cascaded down her back.  
"You'll take this spell off Inu-Yasha?" Kagome started.  
"Oh no, I'll be taking him with me." Coyote smiled. "Don't look so surprised. He's just the bait in my trap, I have bigger fish to fry. Much bigger." She added looking down at the 'Pup' critically.  
"No!" Kagome stood up defensively in front of Inu-Yasha, "You can't!"   
"Just move out of the way you stupid human." Coyote growled, "Even the trickster gets irritated with these little charades."  
Kagome wouldn't budge. Coyote raised her hand and the claws that were already there grew to the size of daggers.  
"I tell ya what. Once I'm through with this pup and I've gotten what I want, I'll throw his scrawny carcass back to you. You can do whatever you want with him after that. Just get out of the way." Coyote replied, her eyelids lowered and the pupils in her eyes glowed red.  
Miroku and Sango didn't really know quite what to do. They'd never seen this happen before. Kagome was in danger and Inu-Yasha was just cowering behind her feeble protection.  
"Inu-Yasha! Snap out of it you fool!" Miroku finally found his mouth working again, "Kagome's in trouble! Get up!"   
Inu-Yasha stirred slightly, the look of pain on his face was immense. He took hold of the Tetsusaiga and felt it's demon powers return, "Ka--Kagome."   
"Are you alright Inu-Yasha?" she asked.  
"I can fight." he answered, his voice pinched.   
He held the sword aloft and Kagome stepped out of the way.  
"You want the jewel, the sword…and me?" Inu-Yasha muttered, "Those are some pretty big wants. Maybe I should show you a little of what you're getting. Ne?"   
Coyote smiled behind the mask, the pupils of her eyes were still glowing red beneath the strange helmet and she snickered.   
Inu-Yasha lunged forward with a savage growl and the sword, though it didn't appear to touch Coyote helped him pin her down. He sat astride her and pushed the sword down into the invisible barrier close to her throat. He finally felt a little leeway and when he thought the sword would finally penetrate her neck he saw the mask suddenly crack and give way.   
Coyote shouted her surprise and jumped up, dumping Inu-Yasha to the ground and sending the pieces of the mask in different directions. The face revealed glared defiantly between her fingers at Inu-Yasha, a face that was just as human as Kagome's.  
"You're a human!" Inu-Yasha shouted in surprise.  
Coyote growled her anger. No one else but Inu-Yasha seemed to notice the mask had come off and for that she was grateful.  
"Damn you half-ling! I should kill you! But no…I need you alive. I'll return for you another day!" Coyote snarled and then bounded into the trees.   
The burden on Inu-Yasha's mind was suddenly lifted, he could think clearly now and Coyote had apparently gone, taking her Shikon Shard with her.  
"Inu-Yasha, are you okay now?" Kagome asked pleadingly as she materialized at his side.  
"I'm fine. Perfectly fine." he said. "But that wasn't a demon we were up against."  
"What was she then?" Miroku finally asked.  
"Didn't you see? Her mask came off! She was human! That's why she left!" Inu-Yasha snarled.  
"Her mask stayed on the whole time Inu-Yasha, the only reason she left was because she was being defeated by her target, she even said so."  
"You were all fooled! She must have cast an illusion on you all." Inu-Yasha snapped angrily.   
Kagome shook her head to clear it, and a sudden name on her lips brought them all back to the present, "Where's Wildrose?"   
She hadn't even come back yet, surely having to relieve herself didn't take that long. Kagome had a bad thought, what if Coyote had gotten her before she could get back to the group.  
"I can't believe this! She spends one day with me and ALREADY she's in trouble!" Kagome fumed.  
She darted off into the bushes followed by a steaming Inu-Yasha, "You idiot! That Coyote woman is probably still around, not to mention Sesshomaru! Do you want to die?!"   
"If you don't want to help me look for her go back to the group!" Kagome snapped. Why am I being so mean to him? He's just worried about me, that's all.  
"If I don't look after you, you'll just get into trouble, you've proven that, time and again." Inu-Yasha said pointedly.  
Kagome shut her mouth and pushed through the brush silently. After a few moments of walking Kagome saw a glint off of something silver or gold in the brush. She came through the brush and there, lying under a low lying tree branch was Wildrose. Her hair was in disarray and her fang necklace dug painfully into her neck.   
"Wildrose!" Kagome cried.  
She came to her friend's side, Inu-Yasha beside her as well. She picked Wildrose's head up and put it on her lap, smoothing the fly-away bangs from her face.  
"Wildrose? C'mon wake up!" Kagome shook her gently.  
Wildrose stirred and her hazel eyes seemed to stare up passed Kagome and even through the leafy canopy above.  
"Are you alright Wildrose?" Kagome asked.  
She shook her head, "Huh? What?"  
"You were lying here on the ground, what happened?" Kagome asked.  
"Must've hit my head or something…" Wildrose muttered and touched her head tenderly. "I don't even remember dozing off…That happens every once in a while, don't worry about it."  
"Maybe we should head back, get you home or something?" Kagome said.  
"No, I'm fine. Besides, I needed a good nap." Wildrose smiled gently and sat up. "Why'd you bring dog-boy? I'm sure he's got plenty of other stuff to do, isn't that right tough-guy?"   
Inu-Yasha snorted, "With you weakling fools around I've got loads to do."   
Wildrose jumped to her feet and glanced up and sighed, "Reminds me a lot of home here. Except without the mosquitoes the size of turkeys."   
"What's a mosquito?" Inu-Yasha asked Kagome.  
"Parasite, like Myoga, except smaller and more annoying." Kagome replied.   
  
  
******  
  
Later that night Coyote sat in front of the flames gently massaging her face, her mask lay in pieces beside here. It would take many nights to fix it, unless she could find something else to cover herself with. She had a reputation to protect as Coyote, she couldn't even fathom how that half dog demon could see her real face. There were so many spells that not even Sesshomaru could tell her apart from a demon woman, the only time he might suspect is when Coyote let her astral form come out to do her bidding. A ghostly apparition of a coyote-dog that could destroy anything and everything in it's path without the susceptibility of an actual form.  
The Tetsusaiga was a powerful blade, more powerful than she had at first suspected. It had broken a mask that had taken three thousand years to create in a perfect likeness of it's creator, the vain trickster spirit and had also left an open wound in her face. She still had the one sliver of the Shikon Jewel she'd managed to take from a low level demon and she still had the rest of her sorry hide, but she didn't have her target, that made the loss all the more humiliating.  
She heard the branches and leaves rustle behind her and knew at once by the demon presence that Sesshomaru had decided to visit her again. She didn't speak to him, knowing full well that if he had something to say he'd say it to her face, not beat around the bush.  
"My sources tell me you're after the Jewel of Four Souls…and my younger brother." Sesshomaru said silkily. "Why?"  
"It would seem obvious. To get my people back." Coyote replied casually, "Coyote is nothing without his people."   
"Is Coyote really so desperate for followers as that?" Sesshomaru countered.  
"WE at least are loyal to those who serve us." Coyote said icily.  
"Obviously. You have thought about my offer?" He breathed into her ear.  
"I want revenge on you Sesshomaru. Do you truly believe I would welcome you to Coyote's bed as his son when it was you who destroyed so many of our people?"   
"Perhaps not…But you never know. Coyote took you as his daughter did he not? Why not a dog demon, the son of the great demon none the less, as his son?"  
He nuzzled her neck and she shuddered at his touch. He was definitely a tempting offer. Demon powers were too few in the lands of her home and one willing to join with Coyote, who was most disliked but also greatly respected, was unheard of. Coyote felt her hand sink into his hair and pull him closer. He nipped at her shoulder lightly and she mumbled something incoherent to him.   
She felt herself embrace him and he moved over her, "You must admit,my offer is tempting to say the least."   
She moaned as he shed his yukata and his bare stomach pressed against hers. He was more experienced with Coyote's game then she was herself. He'd seen countless Coyote-women. The women were usually very strong, and young too, they had always been young.   
"I told you, Coyote's game is for two to play. Can't I be your second? We could be so much more..."he purred into her throat.  
"I--am going to capture the Shikon no Tama, the jewel of four souls. I don't care how I get it. But I will complete my mission." She gasped.  
"I'm sure you will..." He sat up, still straddling her waist.   
She grasped his hips with her hands and her back arched off the ground. He smiled, this Coyote-woman was more excitable the the others had been. He leaned in and captured her mouth with his own and felt her sigh against his lips.  
"Coyote wants your head on a pike Sesshomaru." she breathed and pulled him down ontop of her. "Not in his bed."   
He slipped his hands beneath her and massaged her back, "I'd welcome you both into mine."   
Despite her better judgement she flipped him over onto his back. She knew he'd do this again. He had always played a part in the Coyote-game. The role was always the same, he'd tempt the woman from the path, away from her father spirit but she would alway s return,changed.   
The last time she'd refused him the Anasazi people had disappeared, the spirit had gone to sleep for about five hundred years, woken up in a cave, all alone. Not even Coyote could find her until she found another host.   
War drums sounded in her head, pounded out a rythm as the two melded into one body. They reminded her of her purpose and guided her through her memories of the past five years. How Coyote found her, welcomed her back into his arms and guided her into the past in order to find Sesshomaru and....kill him?  
  
******  
  
"Where did you go last night?" Kagome asked.  
"Huh?" Wildrose muttered looking up.  
She sat on the cold ground on the outskirts of their camp site, her arms wrapped around her knees. She could feel bruises where rocks had pressed into her back. She couldn't remember ever walking away from the rest of the group. In fact, all she had remembered was collapsing in the middle of the clearing, exhausted from the long trudge through the swamp.  
"Where did I---" Wildrose repeated blankly, "Did I go somewhere?"  
"You weren't in your sleeping bag when I woke up earlier. It was around midnight. I just thought you might have gone to find some privacy." Kagome said.  
"I don't remember..." Wildrose said slowly, she stared off into the distance.   
"We've just got today until we have to go back." Kagome said, "We can go early."  
"No. You came here to do something and I don't want to interfere anymore than I already have." Wildrose replied.   
"Finally a woman who makes sense when she speaks." Inu-Yasha called down from a branch in a tree far above them.  
He jumped down and landed softly on the ground in front of them. Kagome moved away from them and began to roll up her bedding. Wildrose simply stared off into the woods pensively. Inu-Yasha eyed her suspiciously without her notice then went over to help Kagome in lifting her pack into the back of her bicycle.  
"Your friend seems a bit perturbed." he said quietly.  
"What makes you say that?" Kagome asked.  
"She's awfully quiet for being one of your friends." he replied  
"Some people get quiet when they're tired." Kagome said, her tone betrayed she was confused on which way to take the last sentence. "Unlike some people I know who just get grumpy."  
"Feh. I can't smell sleep on her. She's not tired." Inu-Yasha grunted.  
"You can smell sleep?" Kagome asked, it was hard to believe.   
"Feh."he grunted again, "Your scent changes enough to let everyone who has a nose know how you feel."   
"I know, I know. You hate my scent." Kagome muttered.  
Inu-Yasha felt his heart climb into his throat. He had said that a while ago and was surprised she'd even remembered that. It was obviously not true. He loved the way she smelled, the way it betrayed every thing about her, the way she smelled so delicious and gentle when she was asleep. He didn't even mind when she was going through her monthly bleeding, the only thing that bothered him about it was she was always trying to cover her beautiful scent with perfume and soaps.  
Kagome caught the look on his face and felt her mind reel, what was he thinking about that made his expression so unreadable?   
"J-just go talk to your friend." Inu-Yasha stammered.   
Kagome finished latching the bag onto the back of her bike and walked over to Wildrose. Inu-Yasha let his breath out in a woosh. She was always making him feel odd like that.  
"So...Wildrose, what's up?" Kagome asked.   
"Huh? Oh, nothing. I just had a wierd dream. It involved that guy in the picture I drew...God, I wish I wasn't such a dork." Wildrose blushed a vibrant red like the flower she was named after. "I just--god....nevermind."   
"Hey, don't be embarassed, I dream about this one guy all the time." Kagome interupted.  
Inu-Yasha's ears pricked. Who was she talking about? He felt a pang of jealousy that developed into a throb. Who was this guy she dreamed about constantly?  
Wildrose cast a side-long glance at Inu-Yasha knowingly. She spoke in English, still confident that neither the priest, kitsune-cub or Inu-Yasha knew what she said, "Him?"   
"Yeah..." Kagome blushed. "Him. He doesn't realize it though. I'd appreciate it if you kept it a secret. Besides, if he knew....it would just complicate things even further."   
Wildrose nodded. Her gaze was all-knowing. She put a hand on Kagome's shoulder and gave her a comforting look. "He'll find out sooner or later, then he'll be yours."  
Inu-Yasha couldn't tell what they were saying but he figured it was about the man that Kagome had openly admitted to dream about. He felt a jealousy boil up inside him that scared him, he knew Kagome was his, it just seemed that she didn't know it. He wanted her, wanted to prove to everyone that she was his, that he'd kill for her, die for her, just to protect her from something that she feared.   
Pain was something he knew all too well, but he'd escaped it, and into Kagome's embrace.Whether she knew it or not his heart was in those delicate hands that had helped him so many times and had even caused him pain.   
He walked off into the woods and bounded up into a tree where he could watch them talk and try to work out some explaination of what Kagome said, something that would ease the ache in his chest.   
Suddenly something in the distance caught his eye. About a mile down the path they were travelling, waist deep in a river was his half-brother. Sesshomaru was apparently bathing.   
Great, something to get my anger out on.... he thought. With that he dropped down into the campsite.   
"I'm going to...uh...scout ahead." Inu-Yasha lied.  
Kagome looked up from the sketchbook Wildrose was drawing in.   
"Uh--sure. You'll come back for us right?" Kagome asked.  
  
Inu-Yasha nodded and bounded toward his brother.  
  
******  
  
Sesshomaru heard the brash hanyou crashing through the brush minutes before he arrived and pulled the shirt part of his yukata up over his shoulders. The night before had left him tired, satisfied but tired. The Coyote-woman was amazing, even for a spirit that had seen many years more than he.   
"Hello Inu-Yasha." Sesshomaru said rubbing his neck absently with his hand, reminscing on the previous night.  
"Sesshomaru, what are you doing here?" Inu-Yasha growled and emerged from the trees.  
Inu-Yasha looked at his brother and noticed the slightly unkempt look about his brother. He'd been in battle or something recently.  
"Been fighting?" Inu-Yasha asked innocently.  
"Hardly...I suppose you have heard the reports about the other demon in the area." Sesshomaru smirked and looked up at the sky.   
"We encountered her." Inu-Yasha replied.  
"So...you're still hanging around with that human girl and her motley crew?" Sesshomaru laughed.  
"More like, tracking down shards of the jewel. We've been pretty contained with that. I'm sorry I couldn't spare myself to kick your pansy ass around. You must have been pretty lonely."  
"With Coyote beneath me and the stars above us?" Sesshomaru laughed, "I doubt a fight with you would have been as entertaining as that."   
Inu-Yasha made a face, "I don't need a lesson in your sex life brother. How do you know Coyote?"   
"She and I are old friends...You aren't armed...how very foolish." he said glancing at Tetsusaiga's empty scabbard hanging at Inu-Yasha's side. "I could have taken it from you now and spared you Coyote's wrath."   
"Feh! I defeated that bitch easily enough." Inu-Yasha growled, "Her mask is gone, she won't return for a while."   
"Fool, facades can be mended. She will be awful peeved when you see her again, doubtless."   
"Why is she after me? Or the Tetsusaiga for that matter?" Inu-Yasha demanded.  
"She's not after you particularly. She's actually after me, she figures she can get to me easier through you. Coyote and her patron spirit are a bit upset over something that happened a while ago, back in the west." Sesshomaru grinned and tossed his armor pieces across his shoulder and walked away from the bank of the river.  
Inu-Yasha followed closely. The two stopped short of the actual path, and watched from the bushes as Kagome, Miroku, Sango, Shippou, Wildrose and Kirara made their way down the path. Wildrose and Kagome out in front talking in hushed tones.  
Something about Wildrose caught Sesshomaru's eye, the fangs on her necklace caught the light tantalizingly.   
"She wears the teeth of a demon." Sesshomaru said absently. "Why?"  
"She comes from the country Kagome comes from. Can you not see that from the way she is dressed?" Inu-Yasha replied.  
"You're more of a fool than I thought. Look at her! She is not like Kagome. She is different, she looks like a blend of breeds." Sesshomaru sneered, "Ha, the humans can't even keep with in their own breed."   
"So where exactly does she come from?"  
"A blend of the Westernlands Father occupied and some from the lands I used to toy with." Sesshomaru replied.   
A high pitched voice came from behind them, "Sesshomaru-sama!"   
Sesshomaru's green skinned servant emerged from the woods, a young human girl trailing in his wake. The two half-brothers turned to look at them, and Inu-Yasha shot a glance at his elder brother.  
"I did not know you to dally with human babes..." he sneered at Sesshomaru.  
"Rin is but a child. She is under my care and protection and will have forgotten most of her human traits by the time she reaches adulthood." Sesshomaru explained as Rin came running toward him giggling. "Consider yourself warned. I would rather take the Tetsusaiga from you than Coyote."  
With that Sesshomaru picked up Rin and carried her with him along the path beside the river in the opposite direction from which Kagome and the others had come. Inu-Yasha shuddered, his brother always gave him the willies, not because of his general lack of emotions but more of the fact his brother looked more like a woman than Kagome's mother did.   
With that Inu-Yasha walked out of the woods and voiced his location to his companions.  
  
******  
  
Kagome held open the door for both Wildrose and Inu-Yasha as they entered her home. Inu-Yasha blinked at her and walked through the door reluctantly after she prodded him.  
Mrs. Higurashi, being the mother that she was, was standing bent over the stove from which she produced a sheet of cookies. She smiled as she looked up.  
"Welcome home Kagome! And hello Inu-Yasha and...Wildrose was it?" she smiled cheerfully and began shoveling the cooling treats onto a cooling rack. "Would you like a cookie?"  
"That's okay. We're not really that hungry Mum." Kagome said.   
"Um-could I use the phone? My uh---other family is probably worried?" Wildrose asked.  
"Oh sure dear. The phone's in the livingroom. Just put your dirty clothes into the hamper in the laundry room as you walk by." Mrs. Higurashi replied sweetly. "Inu-Yasha, you really shouldn't eat them that fast, you could choke."   
Wildrose took a moment to giggle as Mrs. Higurashi forced a glass of milk into his hand along with another cookie then went out into the livingroom. She felt her bag pulled out of her hands gently but firmly. She turned to see Kagome tugging insistently at the pack and finally let go when Kagome explained her mother wanted to wash them.  
She sat down on the floor rather than on the clean cushions of an armchair and dialed the number to her foreign family.   
Kagome had since gone up to her room and flopped down on the bed. Buyo jumped up onto the bed and curled up beside her, purring contentedly. She heard the door behind her open and knew Inu-Yasha stood there, worn out from the constant motherly smother that Mrs. Higurashi forced on him every time he showed up.  
"What's wrong Kagome?" he asked after a long silent moment.  
"Nothing." Kagome sighed into her matress.  
"You fib." he said quite frankly, "Something's wrong, you can't hide it from me, it's in your smell."   
Kagome blushed and turned onto her back to stare at the ceiling, arms and legs spread eagle across the bed. Buyo didn't stir.  
"Did you ever think that you could find somebody to fall in love with in your dreams?" she half-sighed half-whispered.  
"Why would I think about something like that?" Inu-Yasha muttered, his heart hammered against his ribs and then climbed into his throat and then into his ears.  
He was almost certain Kagome could hear the heated rapid hammering of the stupid organ.But that was stupid, she was human, she didn't hear a thing.  
"Didn't think so..." Kagome replied with a sigh.  
She looked over at Inu-Yasha who stood in her door way, looking out of place but strangely correct in his surroundings. She felt the affection she usually kept locked away from everyone well up inside her, and she rolled over, then half-hid her face in the crook of her elbow to keep him from seeing her smiling face and eyes and the blush that was beginning to spread rapidly across her cheeks and nose.  
He stood there for a long moment and then cleared his throat.  
"You can um---s-i-t-down if you want Inu-Yasha." Kagome said, careful not to say that dreaded 's-word' as he'd come to call it.   
He breathed a sigh of relief when she spelled the word out instead of saying it. He really didn't feel like kissing the carpet at the moment, though it might have calmed his raging hormones a bit.  
He sat down beside the bed and looked at her, she buried her face in the mattress but he could tell that she was feeling a bit better. Her scent had taken on a lighter air, even gentle.   
Inside his head he smacked himself. Not because he felt for Kagome but that he'd be stupid enough to let it come out of his mouth. She was precious to him and if she rejected him...  
"KAGOME! I'M LEAVING! SEE YOU AT SCHOOL TOMORROW!" Wildrose yelled up the stairs, making both Inu-Yasha and Kagome jump.  
Kagome laughed slightly and felt Buyo get up and jump down off the bed, rubbing against Inu-Yasha's leg as he went, forcing him to try and ignore the bristling of the hairs on the back of his neck.  
"I think, dear Inu-Yasha, we have a dilema." Kagome said matter of factly.   
Inu-Yasha's heart was in his throat again, hammering away. She didn't want him to leave, did she? Is that what was bothering her? He was getting between her and her dream man? He felt his temper flare, no man in a dream could replace flesh and blood...and skin.   
Her legs were bare beneath her skirt, she never wore pantyhose or anything to deter the color of her skin. Just about the only thing she dared to do like that was shave them,a bit distracting since he was constantly touching the smoothness of her legs when she flew with him on his back. He felt his face flush again and he had to look away from her to keep from thinking things he knew she'd 'sit' him for.  
"Wh-what is it?" he studdered.  
"Wildrose is in love with your brother." Kagome stated letting her head tip back over the edge of the bed.  
He let out his breath in an audible sigh of relief. He raised his head to look at her and traced her jawline with his eyes. Her gently sloping jaw stopped where they met those small round ears that framed her beautiful face. Those little ears weren't half as keen as his were, but he still felt that they could hear everything, from his heartbeat and breathing to the little voice in his head that was constantly berating him for being such a heathen and daring to think she could ever love him back.   
Her eyes were looking down, or up at him depending on ones view point, and they seemed to glow gray, a storm cloud of color swirling beneath that revealing the depth of her soul. He could tell so much just by looking at her eyes. If he ever lost his sight or his sense of smell he'd probably kill himself just because he couldn't connect with her as intimately as he did now.   
She was watching him intently from her position, sprawled across her bed. He realized she'd seen how hungrily he looked at her. The 'now' part of his thoughts crept back into control and he felt his face flush as her words sunk in.  
"What? What do you mean she's in love with him?!" he nearly shouted and was rocked back on his heels.  
"Well...maybe not him directly. But she's fallen in love with him through her drawings." Kagome said. "I think she might be picking up some strange vibes from this place or something. Maybe that's why she's drawing such things as demons and such. She's got that old problem that humans seem to have."   
"And that would be--"  
"Falling in love with something unable to reciprocate. There was a Greek or Roman legend about it. A guy fell in love with this statue of a woman he'd created, he wasted away in front of it until the 'goddess of love' came by and made her into a real woman." she smiled, "Pretty dumb huh?"  
The statement struck a chord in him and he gulped down the knot that rose in his throat, "Yeah...pretty dumb." he choked.  
There was a pregnant silence until Kagome spoke again, "Are you going to stay the night here or go back?"   
"Uh--I dunno." he replied blankly, his face flushed again.  
She smiled slightly and rolled over so she could look at him without feeling like she was going to faint.Though now that she looked at him properly, seeing him staring at the floor in innocent indecision made her dizzy again.   
Deciding against her smarter half she pulled a sleeping bag out of her closet and threw one of her pillows down to him.   
"Here. You'll stay here tonight, then you can go when I leave for school...If you want that is..." she muttered.  
He nodded and resumed his staring contest with the floor.  
  
******  
  
As Wildrose walked past the well house Kagome had shown her she felt the urge to turn around and glimpse up at Kagome's window one last time. She saw Inu-Yasha's figure next to Kagome's. She smiled, those two would make it, that was certain. At least fairy tales were reality for a lucky few.  
Feeling heavy hearted for lack of a lover to share a night with she heaved a sigh and started to walk past the wellhouse. She felt virtigo suddenly grip her in it's claws and heard the loud and echoing click of the fangs on her necklace before darkness embraced her and she hit the cement walk way of the temple. 


	2. The Windcaller and the Coyote: I am livi...

**Author's Note: I don't own Inu-Yasha or any of the characters relating to series belonging to Rumiko Takahashi (pouts) But anywho, I had a blast writing the last chapter, and hopefully this one will probably be a little bit shorter, or longer depending on how pensive I feel while writing. I'm going to try and clarify some things (AHEM! The Title AHEM!) and bring it all together, get to the climax of the story and then bring it back down into some more mushy stuff! ^_^ Don't you just love mushy stuff?  
  
  
  
The Windcaller and the Coyote: Chapter II   
  
  
  
Inu-Yasha looked back at Kagome, she was still asleep in her bed looking so peaceful he decided he wouldn't wake her before leaving. He paused. I wonder if she's dreaming about that 'guy' she talked to that girl about? I wonder who he is...I f I knew I wouldn't even kill him, for Kagome's sake...It pained him every time she spoke of other males affectionately, he wanted her to realize that she was his, and that he was hers. He felt that familiar ache in his chest as he saw sunlight played in her hair, making it look like the black hair fanning out on her pillow was really a halo.  
  
He heaved a sigh and leaned to kiss her gently on the cheek, that was all he could manage to do without wanting to abandon every idea of civility he'd painstakingly learned and just tell her what he knew. She was his, but she'd have to learn that herself.   
  
She smiled in her sleep and her graceful fingers came up to touch the spot. He smiled slightly then was out the window and onto the ground below.   
  
As he walked toward the Bone Well he sniffed the air, among other scents he could smell Wildrose in the area. The scent wasn't exactly fresh, it was hours old, but it didn't seem to lead anywhere else. He stopped where the smell was strongest and sniffed again. Her scent mingled with a different scent, still female but definately different.  
  
He recognized the smell of the other woman from somewhere, but it took him a while to place it. Coyote had been there?! Had she followed their trail to the Bone Well and come out when he and Kagome weren't around? Wildrose's scent had disappeared completely by the time he reached the wellhouse, Coyote's was stronger than ever though. She'd gone through the well and was probably still around the area she'd arrived in.  
  
Realizing that time was everything when it came to demons and their prisoners he jumped through the well and prayed to whatever god was watching over him that Wildrose wasn't there with Coyote. For Kagome's sake.  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
Kagome woke up to the ringing of her alarm clock, and found herself fumbling for the off button. She wasn't nearly as tired as she had expected to be, he had that effect on her. When Inu-Yasha was around she simply slept easier. She looked around and found the room to be quite empty, the sleeping bag and pillow she'd set out for him were left untouched from the night before. He'd predictably chosen to sleep sitting up in the corner where he could keep an eye on her and could easily access the window when he woke up.  
  
She raised her hand to her cheek again and smiled peacefully. She remembered her dream during the night, Inu-Yasha had actually been nice to her and even kissed her on the cheek. She could still feel his soft, warm lips on her cheek and wished he'd do it in real life. Hell, she wished he'd just kiss her in real life. I wonder what his fangs feel like...she giggled to herself and blushed, knowing full well that they'd probably be sharp and pointy just like hers only bigger.   
  
Sighing and realizing that she'd have to go to school instead of skipping off to Inu-Yasha's time to practice techniques on getting him to kiss her, she pulled a robe over her nightgown and padded down the hall toward the stairs.   
  
Her mother was already awake cooking breakfast. Kagome sat down at the breakfast table and toyed with a strand of her hair before her mother pushed a plate of eggs, toast and potatoes in front of her.   
  
"Did you sleep well Sweetheart?" her mother asked.  
  
Kagome blushed, remembering the dream again, "Yeah. Slept great."  
  
"Is Inu-Yasha awake yet?"   
  
Kagome felt herself blush even more, her mother made it sound so dirty that they had even slept in the same room.  
  
"Um, he left a while ago I guess. He wasn't there when I woke up." Kagome replied. "I guess he went out my window, I don't really know what he's got against doors."  
  
"Boys will be boys. I really wish he'd stick around for breakfast though. Who knows when he actually gets three meals a day. Poor boy." Mrs. Higurashi sighed. "Are you and Wildrose going to do anything this afternoon?"  
  
"Nah. We'll probably just come home from school and be bored. Wildrose's foster parents are both at a conference somewhere." Kagome replied.  
  
"You should pick up some of her things and have her stay here. It must be awful lonely in a strange house all by yourself." Mrs. Higurashi said as she sipped at her coffee.   
  
Kagome shrugged and started to dig into her potatoes.  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
  
  
Inu-Yasha sniffed the air for about the fiftieth time in five minutes. Coyote's trail was getting warmer, either he was getting faster or Coyote was taking her goddamned time getting to where she wanted to go. Or maybe both.   
  
She was somewhere up ahead, probably ready to spring a trap and try to kick his hanyou butt to the moon. The key word being try.  
  
The woods had gotten quiet all of a sudden and Inu-Yasha froze to listen to his surroundings. He heard the snap of twigs and the swishing noise of dry, dead leaves and brush up ahead. That was probably Coyote, plunging through the woods without fear of being attacked and without care for what was going on.  
  
He sprang forward and bounded after the noises until he came to a clearing. Coyote stood there alright but she hadn't been walking through the leaves, she'd been brushing them aside with some kind of rake. She'd made a perfect circle with spears lining it.   
  
Deciding against his violent urges Inu-Yasha jumped silently up into a tree and perched there to watch.   
  
Coyote stood, sweat standing out on her dark skinned torso hunched over the pile of sticks and leaves and dried grass in the middle of wood. She knelt by the pile with two flint stones in her hand until she got sparks and the leaves and grass caught fire. The fire was small but she treated it as though it were an amazing feat to actually light a fire.  
  
She stood up abruptly and dropped the flint stones at the edge of the circle. She started to pound the ground rythmically with her feet and a small chant echoed in her throat. He watched as she spread her arms out like wings and began to dance around the fire.  
  
He flushed, he wouldn't be caught dead doing something like that. Not only would he look like an idiot but it put one in a vulnerable position dancing out in the open like that.  
  
The chant grew louder and he realized she was invoking some kind of spirit. A breeze rustled through the leaves and the trees, stirring the now enormous fire into a column of flames. The chant grew into a shout and the wind picked up until it was a howling force that pinned Inu-Yasha to his tree.   
  
He held his arm in front of his face to stop flying debris from blinding him and stared hard down at the flaming column. Coyote stood with her arms out toward the column as if to embrace it and he saw, stepping out of the flames, the spirit that Coyote was the embodiment of.  
  
The spirit was just as solid as anyone was and Inu-Yasha was shocked to see how much this Coyote-spirit looked like his father. Coyote-spirit was taller than most humans could ever hope to be, his hair was a grayish-black color as opposed to the white that Inu-Yasha's father had, and in the place of the round human ears most people he knew posessed were two slightly larger dog-like ears.   
  
With his back to Inu-Yasha, he couldn't tell whether Coyote-spirit's face was that of a man or a the dog he portrayed but the tail that sprouted from his backside told Inu-Yasha that he was not human.  
  
The human, female Coyote held out her arms welcomingly as Coyote-spirit embraced her. Inu-Yasha grimaced as he realized that Coyote-spirit wasn't even clothed. Most demons had the dignity to cover themselves, even if it wasn't necessary, but Coyote and Coyote-spirit were different.  
  
Coyote-spirit drew back and smoothed Coyote's deep black hair away from her face, he spoke to her in a different language but Inu-Yasha felt as though he could understand completely what was being said.  
  
"Daughter Windcaller." Coyote-spirit said, "Your task is not complete."  
  
"I am aware of that dear Coyote-spirit." she replied, "But...the one I came for...Sesshomaru does not come willingly to his death bed, to me."   
  
Inu-Yasha's ears pricked, she wanted to kill him? Because of some mishap involving some humans? That was not a godly way to act. Windcaller...he'd heard that name before, and it suited Coyote, she had summoned the man from the flames through her chanting and the chanting had in turn summoned the wind. Besides that it was familiar from somewhere else too.  
  
"What does he desire?" Coyote-spirit asked.  
  
"The sword...Tetsusaiga, and the one who wields it, his half-brother. I have attempted to bring him but...he refuses to help our cause. So I fear I must involve a human." Coyote responded slowly.  
  
Which human was she talking about? That better not be Kagome she's talking about. I'll kill that bitch if she tries to lay one hand on my Kagome.   
  
"You fear this?" Coyote-spirit asked.  
  
"I merely need your approval Coyote-spirit." she said coolly, "Then I will proceed."  
  
"You have it."   
  
"I also wanted to humor you with something that Sesshomaru revealed to me during one of our...nights together. He wants to be your son, if not by blood then by your bed." Coyote's graceful lips turned up at the corners into a cold smile.  
  
"And you refused him?"  
  
"What would you have me do?"   
  
"If I had been you I would have taken his head while he made love to you." Coyote-spirit replied icily.  
  
"And what would you have done if one of your wives had done that to you?"  
  
Coyote-spirit was silent except for a rummbling chuckle that emerged from his throat. "You are falling for this demon yes?"  
  
"Not I." Coyote responded.  
  
"Ah, then your second half."  
  
"Perhaps. She doesn't know of me yet and I suspect she's coming close to finding out."   
  
Gods, I think I'm going to puke. Inu-Yasha thought irritably. His brother would have lost his head while bedding a beautiful girl had it not been for her 'second half'. He wondered miserably if he would have to go through anything similar with Kagome before she realized she belonged with him.   
  
"It has been good to see your face again, Coyote-spirit."   
  
"Windcaller, be wary of your prey, make sure he does not slip through your fingers, or hers for that matter." Coyote-spirit said before stepping back into the fire and dissolving into the flames.  
  
Who is her second half? Inu-Yasha almost spoke the question outloud. Coyote sniffed the air around her. Inu-Yasha sank further back against the tree, hoping to the gods that she couldn't smell him through the smoke of the fire.   
  
With that Coyote walked around the circle of spears throwing each one into the fire until she came to the last one. With a howl of rage she snapped the head of the spear off so it hung loosely to the side. Symbolic of her, Inu-Yasha supposed. She was alone and broken, trapped in the servitude of Coyote-spirit. The others around her, the ones she had held close as friends, family and even lovers were gone.   
  
She shouted something in the language he'd heard her use with Coyote-spirit, only this time Coyote-spirit could not translate for him. The winds whipped up again and the enormous fire flickered a few times and died. With that she walked half-heartedly from the dancing grounds.  
  
Inu-Yasha melted back into the forest and headed back toward Kaede's village.   
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
"She didn't get home last night!" Kagome cried frantically as she slammed down the phone.  
  
Mrs. Higurashi looked up from folding clothes, "What?"   
  
"Wildrose didn't make it home last night." Kagome repeated, "I just called her host family, and Mr. Yari said she didn't come home, that he thought she was with me."   
  
"Oh dear. Well did you check the Bone Eaters Well? Maybe she went back to get a good look." Mrs. Higurashi suggested.  
  
"No, Inu-Yasha would have seen her, or at least smelled her. He would have told me." Kagome said, reassuring herself of the fact as well as her mother.  
  
"I'm sure she's fine. She probably just went to that store you said she likes, found a friend and lost track of time." Mrs. Higurashi reassured her.  
  
"Or maybe she went to the arcade to get away from you." Sota teased, he stuck out his tongue at Kagome.  
  
Kagome made a face at him, "Well, whatever. I'm going to see if Inu-Yasha's seen her."   
  
"Be careful dear, and take a sweater with you."  
  
Kagome was out the door and into the well before she could think of what her mother had said. She found herself inside the well on the Sengoku-jidai side. She climbed out of the well and saw Inu-Yasha just before he lifted her out of it and set her on her feet.  
  
"Inu-Yasha! Wildrose didn't make it home last night!" Kagome told him.  
  
"I know. I smelled her and Coyote around the well house before I left. I'm not sure, but I think Coyote has her." Inu-Yasha said.  
  
"You idiot! Why didn't you come back and tell me?" Kagome yelled at him.  
  
He backed up a step, "There wasn't time. I came through and picked up Coyote's scent again and followed it to a dancing ground. I saw Coyote-spirit. The spirit that Coyote serves, but I didn't see Wildrose anywhere."   
  
"Do you think Coyote could have---"   
  
"Killed her? I doubt it, I would have smelled her blood or at least her scent. Coyote probably has her somewhere else." Inu-Yasha said.  
  
"What am I gonna do?! Her foster family is going nuts, they think she's dead! Gods, what if she is?!" Kagome was hysterical.  
  
"Feh. Coyote is stupid, she thinks I will hand over Tetsusaiga and the Jewel if she has a hostage." Inu-Yasha snorted.  
  
"If you won't give her the sword then I'll give her the Jewel. Maybe then she'll let Wildrose go." Kagome said angrily.  
  
"Or maybe she'll just kill you and Wildrose because I won't give her the sword! You're so stupid when it comes to things like this!" Inu-Yasha snapped.  
  
"Inu-Yasha if I don't get her back to her foster family then there will be an even bigger problem than Coyote wanting Tetsusaiga and the Shikon Jewel." Kagome said frantically. "I won't be allowed to come here. Ever! And besides that the well will either be exploited and ravaged until the whole time stream screws up or destroyed!"  
  
Inu-Yasha suddenly realized what Kagome was so worried about. She wouldn't be able to come back and help find the rest of the jewel or fight Naraku, or even help him become a full youkai. He could be stuck as a hanyou forever and being a hanyou forever without her would be even worse.   
  
Inu-Yasha knelt down in front of her offering his back, "Let's go to the village. We can get Miroku and Sango to help us find Coyote, hopefully where she is, we'll find Wildrose."   
  
Kagome nodded appreciatively.  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
Wildrose awoke to the sound of a crackling fire beside her. She looked up and noticed, instead of the trees surrounding the mini-shrine at Kagome's house she was inside a hut of some kind. It smelled heavily of medicinal herbs. She was confident that this was not anywhere near Kagome's house.   
  
She sat up and looked around in the dim firelight of the hut and noticed an old woman seated on the ground wearing a miko robe and an eye patch over her left eye. This was Kaede-baba, Kagome had introduced them when she had first come to the village during the weekend she spent in Sengoku-jidai.  
  
"Unh? Wha--What am I doing here?" Wildrose wondered outloud.  
  
"Some of the men from the village found you at the edge of Inu-Yasha's forest. You were unconcious at the time so I suppose it's no surprise you don't remember being brought to my house." Kaede answered.  
  
Wildrose felt the back of her head for a bruise, or at least a bump to come up with some reason for being out for so long. She found none. In fact she felt absolutely fine, as if she'd just woken up from a refreshing nap.   
  
"Where's Kagome? I should be at her house, not here. Ugh, how did I get here in the first place?" Wildrose grumbled as she searched for answers inside her head.  
  
All she could recall was dancing, half-nude in front of a fire, chanting in a Native American tongue and calling up the wind. Then a man stepping from the fire, not the one she'd been with before, but a new one, she could remember him clearly, a coyote's face with the body of a man. He'd spoken to her, called her his daughter, and even hugged her. This had to be Coyote-spirit. The one that she'd seen many kachina dances done to appease. She recalled the ritualistic dances her grandfather had let her watch, even though she was supposed to be sleeping. The kachina dances were usually forbidden to women, even just to watch them. But she was the chieftans granddaughter, he would make exceptions for her. The men would dance around the fire wearing only loin clothes, ritual masks and ceremonial paint, and they would sing in their language until the heard the distant howl of a coyote and knew that the Trickster spirit had been appeased.  
  
She remembered that she'd been angry about something too. She raised her hand to her face and touched a scratch that she knew had been there since the weekend and realized that had something to do with it.   
  
"We don't know, just that there have been plenty of youkai sitings near this village and it is too dangerous to travel alone and unprotected. Inu-Yasha and Kagome were not with you?" Kaede asked.  
  
Wildrose shook her head and looked down at the necklace around her neck. The fangs glinted in the firelight, just begging to be examined closer.   
  
Kaede reached out and took hold of the necklace, startling Wildrose into a small jump.  
  
"Where did you get this?" Kaede asked politely.  
  
"Uh---At a kachina dance." Wildrose answered.   
  
"A what?"  
  
"It's a ceremonial dance that my people do to appease Coyote-spirit into leaving our tribe alone." Wildrose explained, "Most of the time girls aren't even allowed to watch, but my grandfather is cheiftan so I am tolerated. I remember one of the dancers, she was a woman, came around and put the necklace around my neck. No one else seemed to see her. Then she disappeared into the ring of dancers again. Ever since then I've been having wierd dreams."   
  
Kaede's eyes widened slightly, she'd heard of dances being performed but not by humans, not like that. But it sounded like one of her 'tribe's' miko had given her a gift that brought her great power.  
  
"You must think I'm crazy to unload all this stuff on you about it. Gomen nasai." Wildrose said, her head lowered in what appeared to be shame.  
  
"I do not think you're crazy. I think a priestess has given you a great gift, one you should respect." Kaede said with a gentle smile, "I can see why Kagome would choose you as a friend. You have so much in common it is almost scary."  
  
Wildrose withdrew into herself, "Yeah. Scary."   
  
She remembered the dance in her head clearly, the one she'd dreamt about before being waking up here. She'd even remembered waking up briefly and seeing Inu-Yasha darting through the trees but ignoring him. How could he be in stupid dreams about kachina dances? He wasn't even from the Americas.   
  
He reminded her of the beautiful white haired man she spent her nights with. They were two different people she knew, but they looked incredibly alike. They both had the same gorgeous white hair and the same luminous amber-gold eyes. Eyes that could bore into ones soul.  
  
She remembered the name that she had often whispered in her lover's tapered ear, "Sesshomaru."   
  
She realized that she'd said the name outloud and Kaede-baba's head whipped around to look at her, almost horrified.   
  
"H--how do you know of him?" Kaede asked haltingly.  
  
"Huh? Who?" Wildrose replied.  
  
"Sesshomaru...how do you know of him?"  
  
It was Wildrose's turn to look at Kaede strangely, "Question is, how do you know of him?" she countered.  
  
"He is Inu-Yasha's half-brother. He is a very powerful full youkai, as opposed to Inu-Yasha's hanyou." Kaede explained, "Know how did you know of him?"  
  
"You have to swear not to tell anyone." Wildrose responded gravely.  
  
"I--I swear." Kaede studdered.  
  
"He is...my lover....in my dreams he comes to me." Wildrose said, "But it's seems like it's real. I don't know where I came up with that name, or his face, or even his body for that matter. But it would figure he's Inu-Yasha's brother. They look so much alike."  
  
Kaede opened her mouth as if to say something then closed it again. This girl was starting to scare her. Kagome and Inu-Yasha told her very little of Sesshomaru but she knew him by reputation and sight. Inu-Yasha had even ventured to tell her a little bit of his most recent encounter, where he'd been told more about their new enemy, Coyote.   
  
From what Inu-Yasha told her Kaede gathered that Sesshomaru and Coyote were lovers and enemies at the same time. Coyote wanted to kill Sesshomaru for something he'd done, but Sesshomaru had confessed to Inu-Yasha that they had a mutual physical attraction, if not a bit of an intellectual and emotional one. The two seemed destined for each other.  
  
"Has Kagome or Inu-Yasha spoken to you of Sesshomaru?" Kaede asked.  
  
"Now that I think of it, I can't remember either of them speaking of him." Wildrose said.  
  
Suddenly the door to Kaede's hut was thrown open.  
  
"Kaede! Wildrose is---" Kagome stopped inside the doorway to stare at Wildrose. "-here...?"  
  
Wildrose simply stared back. Kagome finally walked inside.  
  
"You didn't go home last night?" Kagome finally managed to choke out.  
  
"I don't remember what happened. I was walking home and I got as far as the well house then everything just went black. I can't remember much else besides waking up here." Wildrose said.  
  
"You must have had another fainting attack." Kagome said.   
  
There was a long silence and then a bunch of chatter about missed homework and having to call worried family when they got back.  
  
"Um--Is there any place I could possibly get a bath?" Wildrose asked suddenly.  
  
She was looking down at herself. Completely covered in dirt and even had it caked under her finger nails. And she smelled like smoke.  
  
"Oh! Oh yeah. Sure thing. I could use a bath too." Kagome said.   
  
She did look like it, even though Inu-Yasha had flown them most of the way Kagome had worked up quite a sweat from running around looking for Sango,Shippou, Miroku and Kaede, besides that some of the dust that had been kicked up was now clinging to her in places. Even Sango looked a little dirty from the work she'd been helping with in the village.  
  
Kagome shuffled through her bag and pulled out three different swimsuits. One for each girl.   
  
"Sango, you wanna join us?" Kagome asked the weary Youkai-slayer.  
  
"Uh sure!" Sango said cheerfully. "We just better not find any lecher monks spying on us from the bushes."   
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
The water was warm against her tired skin. Wildrose marveled at the hotsprings. There weren't any in the United States. All they had that was close to it were geysers, and she wouldn't really want to try bathing in one.   
  
Kagome and Sango sat across from her on natural stone ledges in the hot water.  
  
"Oh wow...I didn't think there could be anything better than a hot tub." Wildrose sighed and stretched her legs.  
  
"Yeah. This is great huh?" Kagome smiled. "Sango and I come here all the time. It's harder to get the boys to bathe but we like being clean."   
  
Wildrose nodded and relaxed against the rocks behind her. Hot springs had to be natures gift to women.   
  
Thoughts began to make their way into her head again and Wildrose couldn't seem to push them away this time. She could remember most of the dreams of Sesshomaru vividly.   
  
What he looked like, smelled like, how his hair felt in her fingers. Even how his skin felt as he lay there in her arms. She even remembered his tail brushing against her once or twice and how soft the fur had been. She felt her face heat up as blood rushed to her face. There she was in a hotspring with two of her friends thinking about those nightly dreams with her dream man.  
  
Suddenly she remembered seeing herself reflected in his eyes. The reflection didn't look at all like hers. Never had she looked so wild before. Her hair turned black and let loose to float around her head like a dark halo, her skin was darker than it had ever been. The only recognizable feature to her was the fang necklace, she felt the smooth surface of the teeth on her collar bone even when he was nipping at it and nuzzling her neck.  
  
"Inu-Yasha said he saw Coyote close to the area the men found you." Sango said jarring her out of her rememberence. "Did you see her at all?"  
  
"How could she, she was unconcious Sango." Kagome pointed out. "But we better be careful. Coyote's smell is all over the Bone Eaters Well and the well house. She might even try coming back to my time." Sango blushed slightly.   
  
Something seemed to hit Wildrose right between the eyes.   
  
This 'Coyote' woman always seemed to show up when Wildrose wasn't there. The well house was the last place she'd remembered being near before passing out and there had been a sighting close to where they'd found her passed out. There was definately something amiss with this picture.  
  
The nights with Sesshomaru, he hadn't been with her, he'd been with Coyote.   
  
Wildrose stood up with a start at the realization and climbed out of the hotsprings.   
  
"Where are you going?" Kagome asked starting to stand up.  
  
"I'm uh--gonna prune up if I stay in here any longer. Besides I need to use the bathroom." Wildrose lied.  
  
She smiled gently before running from the hotsprings. She hadn't even bothered to pick up a towel to wrap around herself but she didn't care.   
  
Inu-Yasha however noticed her tearing away from the safety of Kagome and Sango and the hotsprings wearing little more than a bathing suit. He knew something had to be wrong in order for any of the girls to bare themselves that much and not feel incredibly humiliated.  
  
He bounded quietly after her, curious about the strange change in her smell.  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
Wildrose finally stopped running after she'd lost sight of the village. She was breathing hard and crying at the same time. Leaning against a tree she sank to the ground not caring whether she got the bathing suit dirty or that sticks and twigs were digging into the skin of her hips. She put her face in her hands and began to sob uncontrollably, glad that she'd run from the village so no one would see her in this humiliating position.  
  
"Come out into my forest just to cry eh?" Inu-Yasha's voice asked from above her.  
  
She instantly ground the tears from her eyes and wiped her face, "No." she lied.  
  
"Feh. You lie worse than Kagome." he said. "If she were you she'd probably 'sit' me to hell for seeing her in such a state of undress."  
  
Wildrose felt her temper flare, he was looking at her in a bathing suit that hardly covered anything, "What makes you think I was crying? And what makes you think I won't kick your ass anyway?"   
  
"Your sobs could be heard by any youkai within a mile of you and your smell says your sad." he replied tersely. "Not that I care that you're crying, but Kagome would sit me to hell again if I let anything happen to you. And you? You kick my butt? You wish."   
  
"I don't understand what you mean." Wildrose replied. Sit him to hell? What did that mean?   
  
"You mean you haven't seen what happens when she says that god awful word? Not that I care or anything." he said.  
  
Wildrose stood up and brushed the leaves from her backside. "You like her and you know it." she said it accusingly, just to see what his reaction was.  
  
His eyes widened, "WHAT?! Yeah right! Me? Like that wench!? Not a snowballs chance in hell!"  
  
"Oh cut it out! I can see it in everything you do around her. Even the way you watch her while she's sleeping. And don't act so surprised, you're not the only one who stays up late you know." Wildrose countered as she dusted herself off, "What I feel like doing is none of your business!"   
  
"Feh!" he snorted again and rolled onto his back, still remaining cradled in the tree branch.  
  
He listened as her feet crunched against the dead leaves and heard her walk a little ways and stop again. She didn't move this time, she just stood, about fifty feet away from him her back turned to him.  
  
He looked at her out of the corner of his eye and saw her head was hung and her shoulders were shaking.  
  
"You women cry too much." he said irritably then paused for a moment, "You can tell me if you want, or you can keep it to yourself. It doesn't matter to me."  
  
"Nothing matters to you, you insensitive idiot hanyou!" she growled and then stormed off. "You're just a stupid animal! Why should anything matter to you?"  
  
Inu-Yasha dropped down from his branch and contemplated going after her, after all she had just insulted him and had even made an assumption that he knew was wrong. He did so care about things. He cared about his sword, getting stronger, getting all of the Shikon jewel, avenging Kikyo's untimely death, and....Kagome. He cared about a lot of things. She was just making stupid assumptions. But then, she never seemed to do that before.   
  
When she'd been with the group over Kagome's 'weekend' she hadn't said a word, even though it was obvious that some things did irritate her, she didn't even want to stick up for herself. She told Kagome once when she had asked, that it was just easier to do disregard something or do what one was told to avoid getting into a fight. From what he'd seen of her he gathered she was a rather quiet person, that she wouldn't speak unless spoken to.  
  
Her scent said something was wrong, he'd learned to read that on all human women. He decided to continue following her.   
  
He found her sitting at the base of another tree, crying again, but this time the sobs were more heart breaking than the first. She was confused, that was the smell he detected, she was confused and sad and angry. Why hadn't Kagome seen that? Or at least Sango?  
  
After listening to minutes of her sobbing he was getting depressed himself. Women shouldn't cry at all. He mused. He hated to see any woman cry, especially Kagome, it just ate at him, he didn't know why. Probably because of his human half.   
  
He saw her hands close around the necklace she always wore. It looked almost like Coyote's, but it was smaller and less decorative, it had demon teeth on it, just like Coyote's did. He wondered where she could get such a necklace, it had to be worth a great amount of money. Especially if it had demons teeth, they could be used as a ward against other youkai and they were also a negotiation tool. A necklace with demons teeth on it usually showed that the person wearing it had been close enough to a youkai for them to bless them. Meaning a youkai would feel safer around a woman wearing that and a full suit of armor than around a woman wearing nothing.  
  
She gripped it tightly until he could smell blood being drawn. She was in emotional pain apparently.   
  
Am I really Coyote? Would Sesshomaru care for me if I weren't? Why is this happening? I just want to be normal again! Wildrose cried in agony inside her head.   
  
That hanyou, Inu-Yasha that Kagome was always hanging out with wasn't helping either. He was just as tantalizing as his brother, but he was Kagome's and he was also about five hundred times as irritating as his brother. He didn't understand anything about human females, which was the way of the world Wildrose guessed. Her father and grandfather had both complained on several occasions about how uncomprehendible women were, usually refering to her mother or grandmother. She knew he'd follow her, just to make sure that 'Kagome's friend' was safe and that irked. He didn't even refer to her by her name, which pissed her off even further, if he was going to try and be comforting he should at least call her by name.  
  
She sniffed a little and realized her tears were drying up. She'd come to a realization that wasn't quite as painful as she would expect.   
  
She was Coyote and she was Wildrose. Two people sharing the same body, it wasn't uncommon. She'd known a boy from summer camp that had a female alter-ego named Pheonix. The boy would be sweet one minute and turn into a real bitch the next. She guessed it wasn't so bad, after all, this boy had lots of friends.   
  
"I am...who I am." Wildrose said outloud after awhile, "I'll just have to accept that...He'll just have to accept that."   
  
So you've realized I'm here. How nice. Coyote's voice was in her head now, something inside her had popped when she announced the news to herself.   
  
Sesshomaru! I want him! Wildrose's mind practically shouted.   
  
So, you really have fallen in love with that damnable youkai eh? Well this is an odd little situation isn't it. He hates humans.  
  
He makes love to you.   
  
Did I say I was human? Coyote is never human.  
  
How did you get inside my head. Wildrose demanded answers, she was sick of the dreams, waking up in odd places and most importantly she was sick of being lonely waiting for her knight in shining armor.  
  
Oh you remember. That night at the kachina dance...? You remember...the only dancer in the circle that was a woman, you know women are never allowed to do anything like that...The necklace...I gave it to you.  
  
The necklace?  
  
Yes. The necklace. Those teeth came from Coyote-spirit himself. His daughter lives through you now. And I know all your wants...You want Sesshomaru and you will do anything to have him...won't you? Coyote's voice was a pleasant thrum inside her head, hypnotic almost.   
  
Yes.  
  
Isn't that nice? Well, you'll have to work for it Wildrose Windcaller. Sesshomaru hates humans.  
  
He'll love this one. What do I have to do? Wildrose was almost begging for an answer.  
  
You need the sword. The one that hanyou carries. Don't try to seperate them, just capture them both. And the Jewel. You need the jewel too!   
  
I---I can't do that. Kagome has the Jewel. She'll never give up Inu-Yasha or the Jewel.   
  
Then kill her.   
  
I can't do that!  
  
Inu-Yasha watched from the tree above. Wildrose was staring off blankly into space. Her eyes were wide and trance like, he couldn't read anything going on inside her head. Something was wrong, her scent had changed again. This time it was changing not only in emotion but in the actual signature of the scent.  
  
What the hell?  
  
Wildrose felt like she was in the middle of a game of tug of war. Coyote was pulling on one-side trying to give her what she wanted most and her mind was pulling on the other begging her not to betray her friends.  
  
Then suffer without Sesshomaru. Coyote said flatly. I'll tell you one thing, the only person he thinks of when he holds me is me. Imagine if you could change that.  
  
Wildrose remembered the way he'd looked at Coyote, the only thing she could see in his eyes was her. He was completely absorbed in getting what he wanted and what she wanted. She wanted that to be directed at her, not Coyote.  
  
If I get you the sword...what do I get in exchange?  
  
A night with him. I want more than the sword, so if that is all you will produce one night will be all you get. I'll even throw in my guise, he won't know it's you until you let him know.  
  
Wildrose's mind raced. Did she really want him that bad? Of course she did. Her mouth was practically watering.  
  
Where do I bring him? The hanyou, Inu-Yasha, I mean.  
  
I'll tell you only when you retrieve the hanyou and his sword.   
  
All right then.  
  
Inu-Yasha had since left for the village when Wildrose finished her inner battle. Her scent had changed, right under his nose, her smell was unrecognizable.  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
After the evening meal had been cleared Kagome and Wildrose picked up their things to go back out onto the trails with Inu-Yasha and the others. Wildrose and Kagome had already gone back for a few minutes just to tell her host family where she was, apologize for not coming home and grabbing her things from Kagome's house.Wildrose sat by the fire staring into it solemly and Inu-Yasha sat a little farther away from her than usual. Kagome, not wanting her guest to feel put out, cornered him about it. She sat on a branch beside his and stared at him until he finally looked at her.  
  
"What do you want?" he muttered.  
  
"Why are you avoiding Wildrose? You're being rude." Kagome told him almost angrily.  
  
He was silent until she had been giving him the death glare for over five minutes.   
  
"She creeps me out, okay?" he finally admitted and turned his head away from her.  
  
Kagome was shocked. He'd never said anything 'creeped him out' before. It was kind of funny in a silly juvenile way to be afraid of a defensless girl.  
  
"Just because she scares you doesn't mean you have to be rude about it." Kagome finally managed to say without laughing.  
  
"She doesn't scare me! She's just wierd!" Inu-Yasha snapped.  
  
"Like how?"   
  
"Her smell changed." he said in that 'as a matter of fact' tone.  
  
Kagome snorted and fought back a smirk, "My smell changes all the time, right?"  
  
"Yeah. So?"  
  
"So does hers."   
  
"Hers is different. Your's stays basically the same, I can always tell it's you. With her...she smells like a completely different person than this afternoon. That's why." Inu-Yasha admitted.  
  
Kagome's urge to laugh at his antics disappeared when she saw how serious he looked. And come to think of it Wildrose was acting a little wierd. She hadn't even asked about where her sketchbook was.  
  
Finally she was able to say something, "Um--, I'm gonna go to sleep. I'm kinda tired."   
  
Inu-Yasha shrugged and nodded and followed her with his eyes as she left.   
  
Kagome paused near Wildrose to put a hand on her shoulder and say something he couldn't make out. She nodded and waited for Kagome to come back with two sleeping rolls.  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
It was nearly midnight and Inu-Yasha was still trying to stare down the moon. He hated the moon. For him it wasn't one of those stupid romantic things that rose and fell with the stars in the night sky, it was something to be avoided. His monthly change was almost on them, and he didn't feel like explaining why a human was wearing his clothes, with his voice and with his attitude to another person, especially if that person was Wildrose and especially if Coyote was still around. Maybe Kagome would want to take Wildrose home before she realized that he was gone. He wondered if she still kept track of the moon's cycle.  
  
Wildrose was still awake, he turned to look at her. She was sitting up, staring into the fire, like she had been doing since they'd stopped to rest. She looked like a shell of her former self, he thought, and her smell hadn't fixed itself. It was like the person Kagome first brought with her into this realm had forgotten who she was, her personality had done a one eighty, and not for the better.  
  
She hadn't eaten with the others, she hadn't gone with Kagome to wash up before bed, and she hadn't even gone to sleep. She just sat there. She shuddered, as if the power of his gaze was a physical feeling. She finally turned her eyes to look at him.   
  
"You're still awake?" He muttered.  
  
She nodded.  
  
"You should get some sleep." he said bluntly.  
  
She stared at him blankly and stood up to walk over to the base of his tree, "Can I ask you a question?"  
  
Inu-Yasha blinked at her. A question? He nodded briefly, curious to see what she'd ask him.  
  
"Have you ever...wanted something so bad, you would do something horrible to get it?" she asked, she touched the base of the tree tenderly, caressed it actually, and grimaced, like it had burned her..  
  
His heart jumped into his throat. Had Kagome told her about the Shikon Jewel and Kikyo? He felt a tingle run down his spine and realized she was talking about herself.  
  
"Well...I supppose so..." he said slowly. "Why?"  
  
"Then you'll understand...Forgive me." she said sadly and bowed lightly.  
  
What had she done that was so unforgivable? He wondered. She wouldn't have hurt Kagome in anyway, she just wasn't like that. But she had said something about wanting something so bad you'd do something horrible to get it. It made images of Kikyo and the day he'd been pinned to the tree rise up in his minds eye. He blinked away tears and suddenly felt better. Even though he'd done some horrible things, Kagome was still there, with him, understanding what he was and never caring about it. Unlike Kikyo, Kagome was willing to take him as he was and the thought of her leaving made him cringe.  
  
But what was this? He'd been ignoring what Wildrose said afterward. He brought himself out of his thoughts to here her mumbling in a different language. After a few moments he heard it grow a bit louder.  
  
He recognized the language that Coyote and Coyote-spirit had been using and suddenly knew what the horrible thing she'd do was. She'd catch him for Coyote to get the something she wanted so badly. He jumped out of his tree only to be caught, midjump by the branch he'd been sitting on.  
  
He called out in surprise and noticed that Kagome and the others were stirring. He had to get this fight away from them, his sleeping companions could get hurt.   
  
"Stop struggling Inu-Yasha. You'll be set free, eventually. You might even be permitted to keep that silly sword of yours." Wildrose smiled darkly.  
  
"In your dreams!" he snapped and clawed at the branch.  
  
The branch let go, only when he'd scratched through the ones binding him there. He dropped to the ground and felt the roots of the tree moving beneath him. Roots moved up to capture his ankles and he growled his frustration.  
  
Kagome was moving more now. She had been sleeping lightly, quite obviously, and was waking up.  
  
"Wildrose...or Coyote, whichever one you are, if we are going to fight, we must do it away from here." Inu-Yasha told her, he couldn't hide the frantic note to his voice.  
  
"If you're worried about the safety of your companions, give up." she smiled peacefully.  
  
Sesshomaru is as good as mine. She thought with a smile.  
  
Kagome sat up and rubbed her eyes. Wildrose stood in front of Inu-Yasha, hands on her hips, glaring at him and he stood there in a fighting stance, looking back at her almost worriedly.  
  
"What are you---?" she started, Wildrose turned to her.  
  
"I'm sorry Kagome." she muttered and turned back to Inu-Yasha. "Spirits of wood, spirits of earth, lend to me the power to capture him..."  
  
The young miko was terrified to see more roots arise from the ground to take hold of Inu-Yasha's arms, she noticed he was bound from his ankles down by roots from the tree and she almost screamed.  
  
"Wildrose! Stop! What are you doing?!" Kagome cried.  
  
"So much noise..." Wildrose said irritably, "It must be silenced."  
  
Kagome felt the ground shift beneath her and almost screamed again when the roots tightened on her waist holding her down, while more crept up to seal her mouth.  
  
"Hmph, I got the Shikon Jewel after all. A bonus for me then." Wildrose smiled slightly, "I wonder if Coyote will mind that you are there, Kagome? Doesn't matter, I'll still get what I want."  
  
"Let her go and your life will be spared." Inu-Yasha snarled.  
  
Wildrose laughed quietly, "I'm sure it will Inu-Yasha."  
  
"What do you want that's so important you'd betray your friend?" Inu-Yasha looked over at Kagome who stared back at him silently.  
  
"My knight in shining armor, sweet, ignorant Inu-Yasha." she smiled.  
  
Her knight? In shining armor? It sounded like one of those silly fairy tales Kagome read to Shippou on a nightly basis. They always started out with a damsel in distress and wounded up with her being rescued by a handsome prince wearing shining armor and they'd ride off into the sunset. It wasn't a bad image, he wouldn't even mind if Kagome had similar fantasies with him as the knight, but to betray someone for a silly fairy tale!  
  
"Have you gone completely mad, Wench?" Inu-Yasha snarled.  
  
Wildrose shook her head, "For the first time, I see things clearly now. I can't just sit around waiting for my dreams to come true, I have to get off my butt and take what I want."  
  
"Wise words, coming from a stupid bitch like you!" Inu-Yasha snapped.  
  
"Not so wise words, coming from an ignorant half-breed." Wildrose retorted with a frown, "If you look behind me Inu-Yasha, you'll see you are in no position to make idle threats and insult me. Kagome may be my friend, but hey 'no pain, no gain' right?"  
  
With that the roots holding Kagome seemed to loosen for a second then ram down on her with three times the force they'd been holding her before. She wouldn't let Inu-Yasha be bullied just because she was in a little discomfort. She bit the inside of her cheek until she tasted the biting coppery taste of blood, but she refused to cry out.  
  
Miroku was the first on his feet, and also the first to be thrown back into a tree, and be nearly swallowed by the trunk. Sango had already awakened to see her friends body nearly disappear into the tree and shrieked in terror. Kirara, dislodged from it's perch had already shifted into it's larger form.   
  
Shippou had jumped forward, trying to attack Wildrose, without comprehending who exactly his target was. He reached her face and paused.  
  
"Wildrose-chan?"  
  
"Shippou-chan, stay out of this, it doesn't concern you." Wildrose told the kitsune calmly.  
  
"Why?" Shippou was looking at Kagome, who was nearly in tears.  
  
"Wild....rose....You're.....suffocating me." Kagome finally gasped out beneath the weight of the roots.  
  
"I am so sorry Kagome-chan." she smiled sadly, "But I need this."  
  
"Who is it?! Who do you need?" Inu-Yasha cried. "Just tell me! I'll get it for you! Just tell me and let the others go!"   
  
"I can't do that. Even if I wanted to. He wouldm't accept that...he wouldn't accept me that way. This is the way it has to be done."  
  
Sango was on her feet, she swung the boomerang at Wildrose, it missed by mere inches, sending Wildrose stumbling forward. Wildrose whipped around, her eyes started to glow.   
  
"Don't make me do this. You people have been like family to me, I don't want to hurt any of you!" Wildrose warned.  
  
Sango spat at Wildrose's feet. Wildrose looked down at the wad of spittle, dumbfounded for a moment, then shot Sango a venemous look. The roots and branches followed her gaze, smacked Sango into a tree beside Miroku, the tree seemed to melt over her, locking her in place a little above Miroku. She, like Miroku, lost conciousness instantly.  
  
Shippou made a cry of pure terror.  
  
"Shippou! Get out of here! Now!" Inu-Yasha hollered at him.  
  
"B-but K-Kagome..."   
  
"I promise I'll get her back in one piece! Just go!" Inu-Yasha commanded frantically.  
  
Shippou took the promise to heart and bounded as fast as his little legs would carry him to the edge of the forest and disintegrated into the leaves and trees.   
  
"You better not lose Inu-Yasha!" Shippou's voice floated back.  
  
Now it was just Inu-Yasha, Kagome and Wildrose and it looked like it would be just Inu-Yasha and Wildrose in a minute. Kagome looked pretty pale, a blue tint was beginning to rise in her face.  
  
"Kagome! Don't you pass out on me!" Inu-Yasha yelled at her.   
  
Kagome seemed to wilt before his eyes. And Wildrose stood there, her hair unbound, floating out behind her and her eyes glowing like two moons in the night sky  
  
"Why all this melodrama? Just stop struggling and give in!" Wildrose said tonelessly.  
  
Inu-Yasha looked over at Kagome frantically, searching for one nod that would determine his answer. Her eyes were closed against the betrayal of a friend and against the pain of her guardian. He couldn't tell if she was just passed out because of the suffocation or whether there was something worse hiding behind her eyelids.  
  
Oh gods....No sword is worth this! "Just stop hurting her!" he finally bellowed. "Stop choking Kagome."  
  
"You give up?" Wildrose asked.  
  
"Yes....I give up. She'll probably hate me for it. Just take what you want and stop hurting her." he breathed.  
  
The relief heard in his sigh was genuine as he saw the roots holding Kagome loosen. The ones binding him however cinched tighter.  
  
"Kagome! Open your eyes and tell me you're okay!" Inu-Yasha called to her.  
  
He didn't care who heard him now. Not even if Kikyo herself heard him begging her to show him she was alive.  
  
In response Kagome just moaned and he had to bite the inside of his cheek to restrain himself. He groaned and let his head droop pitifully.  
  
"Nice to see someone helping me out for once...even if it isn't by choice." Wildrose sighed, relief was apparent in her voice as well.  
  
She looked at Miroku and Sango who still hung in their wooden prisons in what seemed like a deep sleep. Kirara darted about frantically in it's smaller form mewling at it's master to wake up.  
  
"I suppose it will be better just to leave them here for the time being. A simple shielf of thorns and wing will keep trespassers out." Wildrose explained as she wove intricate patterns in the air, which seemed to glow dimly and slowly fade.  
  
He heard the sound of branches twining together and the screech of some strange bird, a youkai from her world perhaps. He watched his fallen friend and love desolately, he wished to whatever gods were watching now that she would just wake up, show him that beautiful smile of hers and tell him everything would be okay.  
  
He gritted his teeth against the pain he felt in his chest, he'd let Kagome down somehow. He looked up at the moon and groaned, "Oh shit."  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
Inu-Yasha dreaded the coming of daylight. The day would fade into night and Wildrose would find him a lot easier to contain. He wasn't allowed to be near Kagome.  
  
In fact Wildrose had been so bold as to blindfold him and put a foul smelling herb in a muzzle which she tied to his face. He couldn't see Kagome and his sense of smell was incredibly dulled by the herb. He felt like his worst nightmare had come true and would have killed himself right there if he hadn't known Kagome was only a few feet behind him behind that girl she'd dared to call 'friend'.  
  
He didn't dare speak, talking meant having to breathe through his nose, and inhale that sickening scent. He simply listened to hear the light but somewhat clumsy footfalls of Kagome and sometimes a curse directed at the ground that seemed to be her enemy on this hike.  
  
He kept track of time by sensing the heat on his back as they walked. Wildrose had chosen a well travelled path, probably to avoid demons, the sun was hardly blocked by trees. He felt the sun as it sank behind the horizon.  
  
"We have to stop now." Inu-Yasha gagged out.  
  
"Feeling a bit sluggish today Inu-Yasha?" Wildrose taunted gently.  
  
"Perhaps." he said solemly.  
  
He heard Wildrose heave a sigh and dragged both of her prisoners by the rope that connected them to her. She brought them through a cluster of trees and forced both Kagome and Inu-Yasha too the ground. He felt her body-heat from a few inches beside him and knew that she was facing him.   
  
"Oh Inu-Yasha..." Kagome's voice was forlorn.  
  
He was silent and just reveled in how close her body-heat felt and how her voice sounded. It felt as though he could taste her words.  
  
"Can you at least take the muzzle off him?" Kagome begged.  
  
"Sorry, I don't want him smelling where we're going." Wildrose replied tersely.  
  
"That's alright Kagome...I can smell you from here." he managed to say somewhat normally.  
  
He heard Kagome move slightly away from him and felt his heart wrenched and wish she'd move back to him, just touch him somehow, he didn't even care if her knee hit him in the crotch, just as long as he could feel she was there.  
  
The sun was now going beyond the horizon.  
  
"Oh shit." he muttered again.  
  
"What's wrong Inu--"  
  
"Kagome, do you still keep track of the moon phases?" he asked sadly.  
  
"Oh shit." Kagome repeated the phrase and he couldn't help but smirk.  
  
The familiar sensation that started in his ears and usually ended with his feet was pricking his skin with pins and needles. He grunted and bit into his bottom lip to keep from making a sound.   
  
His claws, which had been recently digging themselves into his wrists were retracting.He knew that Wildrose could see. She saw everything but she didn't say a word.  
  
"Ever seen a hanyou transformation before Wildrose? Did Coyote show you that?" Inu-Yasha taunted.  
  
"It's a classic loup garou situation. I'm not surprised dog-boy." Wildrose said.  
  
"Loup garou means were-wolf in french." Kagome said unnecessarily.  
  
"Is that so? I'm not a wolf." Inu-Yasha said bitingly.  
  
"I know."   
  
  
  
******  
  
Sesshomaru was angry. Incredibly angry. Not only had his sleep been interupted but he had heard Rin's cries from down the hall and he could do nothing to help her.   
  
The truth be told he had wakened to find Coyote had slipped manacles around his wrists while he had slept. Not liking this game at all he insisted she take them off and let him see to his charge.  
  
"Where is Rin?" He demanded of her.   
  
"In her room, with that annoying servant of yours...Jaken, I believe." Coyote smirked as she straddled him like a horse. "Don't worry, you'll be together soon enough. We have to get all the players here."  
  
"Enough games Coyote!" he snarled.  
  
He pulled at the chains that bound his wrist manacles together, instead of even picking up the slack the chains extended. He even tried biting through the metal, though each time he did all he wound up with was a sore mouth. Not even his poison talons melted through the bindings.  
  
"Don't bother with those chains lover-boy. They're made of an enchanted metal, it is meant to contain demons." she smiled and licked his stomach.  
  
He lurched forward to get his hands around her neck and found that the chain leading from his hands was anchored to thin air and the chain had been pulled short, he couldn't even hit her for making him suffer this indignity.  
  
"After all your years....to sleep with a complete stranger...You know what you are Sesshomaru? You are a whore. A real fine Great Demon you'll make." Coyote taunted mercilessly. "You can't even defend yourself against me."  
  
She bit his bottom lip and smiled when he didn't bother to return her touch. He was far too humiliated, he was in the process of collecting his shattered pride when her weight left him.  
  
"Keep your 'gift' in your pants you flea bitten dog." Coyote grinned.  
  
He looked at his legs, which were tucked up beneath him and realized that she'd clothed him with a simple spell.Thank the gods he wouldn't be found naked to add to this embarassment.  
  
He had to obey her when she yanked him from his bed by the chain on his manacles and headed for the chambers downstairs. She stopped at Rin's bedroom and opened the door.   
  
Rin was not shackled at all, just simply restrained, kicking and screaming all the way, by a lesser youkai. He was relieved to see that at least she was fighting back.  
  
"Shaddap you useless Pup!" the youkai growled and delivered such a stunning blow to Rin's head that Sesshomaru was worried she might be dead.  
  
Sesshomaru felt a deep growl rise in his throat and emerge from his mouth as a warning bark. The youkai looked up with a grin and held Rin up by her delicate wrists.  
  
"This yours?" he asked with a laugh.  
  
"She is....and if you continue to mistreat her, who is obviously above your station, then you will face my wrath!" Sesshomaru threatened coldly.  
  
"Big talk coming from a poodle with such a tight leash."  
  
The youkai tossed Rin like a rag-doll into the hall. Coyote scooped her up and handed her off to Sesshomaru.  
  
"Did I order you to do that?!" Coyote turned to berate the other youkai. "No humans are to be harmed! Have I made myself COMPLETELY clear?!"   
  
The youkai seemed to heed her warning a bit more than Sesshomaru's. He nodded weakly and then returned to his game of torturing Jaken, Coyote didn't seem concerned about that.  
  
"Coyote...Why don't you just kill me now?" Sesshomaru asked.  
  
He was in a vulnerable positon. He couldn't do anything to harm her or the people she wishedto remain safe, yet she could beat the living hell out of him anytime now. But she didn't.  
  
"I still need you to get a vital part of my mission completed." Coyote responded. "Now, be quiet."  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
Kagome finally felt the bonds tying her hands come loose and was relieved when she could finally help Inu-Yasha. She stood behind him and untied the bonds on his hands and on the back of his muzzle.   
  
He turned around and caught her hands in his, brought them up to his nose and inhaled deeply. He was still human but he could still smell her somewhat. Shocked by his actions she questioned him about it.  
  
"I was making sure it was you." He replied.  
  
She let go of his hands reluctantly to untie his blindfold. It came off easily and his eyes seemed to drink in the sight of her.  
  
"Well, now that you two love birds have been reunited it's time for you to join the other player in this game." Wildrose said.  
  
In the crook of one arm Wildrose held Tetsusaiga, on her wrist on her other arm she held the nearly complete Shikon Jewel.   
  
Inu-Yasha felt the pain in his heart again, as he thought of how miserably he failed Kagome but pushed it aside as she bound up their hands again, this time with metal shackles. She then led them to a large room and pushed them inside.  
  
Inu-Yasha instinctively put himself in front of Kagome when he noticed who else was in the room with them.  
  
Sesshomaru looked up from the wounded human girl in his lap and gave them a blank look.  
  
"What in the seven hells are YOU doing here?!" Inu-Yasha demanded.  
  
"I recognize the bitch, but not you. Who are you?" Sesshomaru asked.  
  
"Take a sniff and see Brother!" Inu-Yasha snapped.  
  
Sesshomaru tested the air with his nose, "I see now. Welcome to the game Inu-Yasha."   
  
"This ain't a fucking game!" Inu-Yasha snapped. "This bitch has Tetsusaiga!"   
  
He gestured to Wildrose angrily to where she stood in the door way. She held the sword in one hand and twirled it around in her fingers absently. Sesshomaru glared at her but she held her ground, staring at him like a hungry cat.  
  
"Unless you wish to be sliced into sashimi, human, I suggest you leave." Sesshomaru warned.  
  
Wildrose smiled and then bound Kagome and Inu-Yasha to the wall, the chains barely long enough to allow them to come within five feet of Sesshomaru.  
  
After she'd bound them she dropped the sword in the doorway and walked over to Sesshomaru, kneeling down beside him.  
  
"You are even more beautiful then you were in my dreams..." she whispered.  
  
Sesshomaru's eyes widened slightly, "What are you babbling about?"   
  
"You speak of your hatred for humans....But is it really well founded? Did you know you've been sharing your bed with a human these past few nights?" Wildrose asked, "Of course you didn't. You held Coyote...and me...thinking thoughts that I'd like to hear."  
  
Sesshomaru made a face and backed away from her.  
  
"Coyote! So this is your host eh?! Why was I such a fool?!" he slapped himself mentally and berated himself verbally.  
  
"Wildrose Windcaller and Coyote Windcaller share the same body." Wildrose said.  
  
Inu-Yasha sniffed, her scent had shifted to Coyote's scent and the auburn color in Wildrose's hair was melting away into black. Coyote simply stepped out of Wildrose's mind, leaving Wildrose's looks and clothing behind.  
  
"Am I not still appealing, Sesshomaru?" Wildrose's voice asked.  
  
"Never with a human!" Sesshomaru snapped.  
  
Wildrose heaved a sigh.  
  
You said I could have him for a night if I brought you Inu-Yasha and the stupid sword. I did that and I brought the Shikon no Tama. Where is your half of the deal Coyote?  
  
I didn't plan on him rejecting my body. He smells you as a human.  
  
Damnit why does he reject me?  
  
"Sesshomaru, you realize that you only have two options. Do you not?" Wildrose asked.  
  
Sesshomaru was silent. Wildrose smiled at him and touched his face tenderly.  
  
"Get your hands off me. Filthy human." he growled at her.  
  
Wildrose frowned and jerked her hand back as if she'd been burned, "I did so much for you...I don't understand."  
  
Kagome felt a sickness in the pit of her stomach. She felt her heart reaching out to Wildrose, even though she'd betrayed her friends, no one deserved to be rejected by someone they loved.  
  
"Wildrose he's not worth it." Kagome said simply, "If he won't reciprocate your feelings he's just not worth the agony."  
  
Sesshomaru looked at her puzzled.   
  
"What is your stupid bitch rambling on about Inu-Yasha?" Sesshomaru asked angrily.  
  
"I can speak for myself, and my name is Kagome, not bitch. And if it isn't obvious, Wildrose obviously is in love with you. Don't know why....Damn Greek statue maker." **a running jokish type thing, read chapter one if you wanna know what I'm talking about**   
  
Sesshomaru laughed at the last comment. Either this 'Kagome' was incredibly stupid or she'd gone insane, he'd wager both played an equal part in the things she said.   
  
Join with me Wildrose and I can garauntee he won't reject you again. Coyote said tauntingly.  
  
I----will do it.   
  
Wildrose stepped back away from Sesshomaru frowning sadly.  
  
"I've been rejected. That's the story of my life." Wildrose mumbled. "Sesshomaru, if I can't have you, then no one will."  
  
"Do your worst human." Sesshomaru growled at her.  
  
"Fine then...I will." Wildrose smirked.  
  
The black that streaked her hair now completely absorbed it, her eyes shifted from hazel to a deep throated crimson and her finger nails had extended into three inch dagger-like claws. If her expression was any indication it hurt somewhat as her bones shifted and she grew taller.   
  
Kagome let out a frightened eep and tried to move as far away from Wildrose as possible. Inu-Yasha moved to shield her from anything Wildrose might dish their way.  
  
Sesshomaru on the other hand simply looked at her uninterested.   
  
"So you're joining with your host eh Coyote? For what? Me?" Sesshomaru sneered and instinctively cradled Rin closer to himself.  
  
"Arrogant pompous...son of a bitch." Coyote's voice merged with Wildrose's emerged from the throat. "For this insult and for what you've done in the past you will die. But only after you've revived the Anasazi. My people!"   
  
Kagome shivered as she saw souls, cloud-like swirls of light that contained the spirit of their host, danced around Wildrose or Coyote and eerie wails pounded out a song that she was sure had to be a war beat from ancient America. Songs that had echoed through the forests and the plains of North, Central and South America for hundreds of years until the European settlers arrived and wiped many of them out. Had Sesshomaru been among the European's number? Torturing innocent tribes who had no clue who or what he was?   
  
"Is that really what your host wants Coyote?" Sesshomaru asked.  
  
"Not quite. But she will understand with time....and I will be appeased and she will be allowed to live her life, as youkai or as human, it is her decision." Coyote said smiling.  
  
Red war paint decorated Coyote/Wildrose's chest, face and ribcage. The markings resembled claw marks, almost like Sesshomaru's markings or Inu-Yasha's when he had the youkai-madness. They seemed to draw Sesshomaru's gaze and he read them like a book.  
  
"You want me to use my sword to revive your people? Then what's with them?" Sesshomaru asked gesturing to Inu-Yasha and Kagome.  
  
"Wildrose is my second half...I would not want her unhappy. She decided that making you an offer that you could hardly refuse was a better idea. The half-breed and the sword are yours if you will do our bidding, if you do not and decide to go to your grave so be it."  
  
"What about Kagome? Why drag her into this?" Inu-Yasha snapped.  
  
"She's the keeper of the Shikon no Tama, the Jewel of four souls and a promising miko. Should Sesshomaru fail, I would not go to Coyote-spirit empty handed." Coyote replied, "The Shikon no Tama, once completed has the ability to grant one's deepest desire, does it not? Meaning no matter what I would have my people back."  
  
"You on the other hand, dear hanyou, are of no consequence. So if your brother fails...it is better we wipe out the bloodline completely. A shame, I have a slight weakness for a pretty face."  
  
Inu-Yasha felt Kagome tremble against him, he couldn't stand the thought of her being a mere 'tama-detector' to Coyote, even though that was often all he, himself, had treated her as. He growled and wished he hadn't handed the Tetsusaiga over to Wildrose.   
  
"Last chance Sesshomaru. Mate with us and do as we bid you and your life will be spared, you'll also gain the sword you so crave and the ability to regain the honor your father stole from you with the birth of that half-breed." Coyote/Wildrose said calmly. It seemed to good to be true to Sesshomaru. He'd gain the sword, and probably learn to use it from the hanyou before he tore the bastard's throat out, and in killing Inu-Yasha he'd regain his honor. Coyote also offered herself in the deal, his mouth nearly watered. He'd be endowed with the extra strength and knowledge of Coyote. What was there to lose?   
  
My pride. My dignity in honoring the vow I made to myself, that I wouldn't wind up with a bastard half-breed child like my father did.  
  
Inu-Yasha glared at his brother from his place protecting his human bitch. Sesshomaru returned his stare silently, hatred for all that Inu-Yasha was, and all that his brother symbolized, had taken away from him, glittered in his amber eyes.  
  
"What do you think Half-breed?" Sesshomaru asked coolly.  
  
"I think the deal is a rip off." Inu-Yasha replied angrily.  
  
"Yeah. I mean, what's the fun in just getting the sword from Wil--I mean Coyote? I thought you wanted to pry it from his cold dead fingers." Kagome echoed Inu-Yasha's thoughts outloud."Where's the fun in that when you can humiliate and kill your brother in the heat of battle?"  
  
Inu-Yasha felt a sweatdrop develope at his temple. She was making it sound as though he were a push over.  
  
Sesshomaru on the other hand was fighting an inner battle. The human wench was making sense, and he decided that it would be more satisfying to kill Inu-Yasha on the battle field. Not as he was, chained to the floor like some fucking dog, Sesshomaru thought sardonically.  
  
"My answer is the same. Never with a hanyou, even a fake one." Sesshomaru growled ripping his gaze from his brother and the bitch.  
  
"Fine. It will be as you will it." Coyote/Wildrose said finally.  
  
She turned and left the room, slamming the heavy wooden door behind her.  
  
"You both had better sleep while you can." Sesshomaru said. "She'll be back tomorrow."   
  
"Feh. You sleep. I'm not going to shut an eye until I'm back in my hanyou form." Inu-Yasha's violet eyes narrowed.  
  
"Heh. You look just like your mother with that irritated face. She always looked at me like that for one reason or another. But if that's the way you feel you can stay up and keep lookout for her or any of her servants." Sesshomaru replied.  
  
Sesshomaru backed away from the short table and shifted his position so he held Rin with her head resting against his tail as a pillow. Inu-Yasha had never seen Sesshomaru be so gentle with any creature, especially with a human child. What had changed him?  
  
Kagome let out a loud sigh of relief that attracted Inu-Yasha's attention. She looked tired, beautiful, but tired.  
  
"You can sleep too if you want Kagome." Inu-Yasha said quietly.  
  
"I'll pass thanks..." Kagome punctuated her sentence with a yawn.  
  
She sat close beside him staring at his elder brother with a slight interest. She was fascinated by the tenderness that he was showing the little girl.  
  
"What's her name?" Kagome asked.  
  
"Her name...? It's Rin." Sesshomaru said hesitantly, looking up suddenly. "She's mine."  
  
Kagome almost laughed at his response, he treated her as though she were a pet, but also as something more. She kept her smile hidden and noticed Inu-Yasha's solemn stare at the small girl.  
  
"What's wrong?" Kagome asked him quietly.  
  
"He means that she'll be his mate when she's older." Inu-Yasha replied in a whisper only loud enough for her to hear.  
  
He wished he could say the same about Kagome. Make that sacred claim to her. So many others had said that she was his woman, and even Kouga seemed to realize, not that he would admit it, that there was something between them other than friendship. She was the only one who seemed to be somewhat oblivious to the pull between them.  
  
"Oh..." Kagome said, she sounded almost sad, "So she's got no choice at all?"  
  
"She can challenge his claim if she wants to, but she's too young to understand, so she won't. But once the relationship becomes...uh--physical there's no way out of it. Unless one of them dies." Inu-Yasha explained.  
  
Kagome acknowledged with a noise. She finally let her head rest against his shoulder, still watching Sesshomaru holding Rin. His head was leaned against the wall, his eyes closed in what looked like sleep, his arms wrapped around the child, he seemed serious but content and Kagome felt a pang of jealousy.  
  
Inu-Yasha would never make such a claim about her. She felt her heart complain about the thought. She enjoyed being with him but she wanted it to become more. She remembered her bold move by pulling Inu-Yasha down ontop of her and held him in her arms, she also remembered the hug she'd given him before leaving for school and couldn't help but wonder why he hadn't objected and even why he didn't object to her using him as a pillow right now.  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
Kagome woke to a deep rumbling from within Inu-Yasha's chest. She opened her eyes and noticed that both Sesshomaru and Inu-Yasha were both asleep, ignoring the threats they'd given to each other. Inu-Yasha was back in his hanyou form, and even though Kagome loved it when he was human like her she was relieved to see that familiar silver hair and set of dog ears.   
  
She remembered why she'd awakened and listened again until she realized that Inu-Yasha was purring. The sound was rich and soothing even though she was shocked to find it's source was her half-demon companion. She blinked and was reminded of times when she'd fallen asleep with Buyo as her pillow, the purring cat had always been a stress reliever and his had the same narcotic affect on her.   
  
She shook her head vigorously and heard the tinkle of metal from around her wrists. How could she forget?! She was in a chamber meant to be their prison, with shackles that felt alot more heavy bricks than anything else. She choked back a shout of anger and distress. Inu-Yasha's nose twitched and he stopped purring.  
  
He stirred and finally opened his golden eyes to look down at her.  
  
"Daijoubu?" he finally asked after a moment of silence.  
  
"You were purring." she said.  
  
"I--What?" he asked raising an eyebrow. "I was not!"   
  
"You were. I woke up and you were purring." Kagome smiled. "You almost put me back to sleep."  
  
Inu-Yasha felt his face heat up and knew he was probably blushing like a fool. But it was pretty insulting to wake up and have a human tell him that his purring had nearly put her to sleep.  
  
Kagome read his face, "Oh, don't take it the wrong way. I'm just saying it was soothing." she said rushing to cover up the apparent insult.  
  
He blushed an even darker red, she'd liked it?  
  
His ears pricked as Sesshomaru moved again, he was staring at them with a slightly amused look on his face.  
  
"How about we concentrate on getting out of here, then you two can compliment each other until you're blue in the face." Sesshomaru suggested suddenly.  
  
Kagome blushed furiously, "Why didn't you just break your chains?" she asked finally.  
  
Sesshomaru sighed and frowned almost angrily, "I...can't."  
  
"What do you mean you can't? You liar! You could just transform into your ture form and break free of them."  
  
"I tried that already. It didn't work, the metal Coyote made this out of prevents me from using any of my youkai powers." Sesshomaru admitted irritably, "Believe me if I knew I'd suffer from this indignity I would have destroyed Coyote's soul when I had the chance."  
  
"So she caught you at an indecent moment and threw those on you, huh?" Inu-Yasha smirked.   
  
"Don't tempt me brother." Sesshomaru said menacingly.  
  
"I should be saying that to you Sesshomaru." Inu-Yasha grinned.  
  
"Well, why don't you break your chains?" Sesshomaru smirked.  
  
Inu-Yasha's smile faded as he tried to pull the shackles apart with brute strength. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't break them.  
  
"It's impossible."   
  
"Not impossible. She only used a little bit of the metal in a different alloy to make your shackles. You're back as a hanyou, so she couldn't stop that, she just used enough to make sure you wouldn't escape." Sesshomaru explained, "But you can transform and break out of them."  
  
"What are you blabbing about you effeminate moron. I'm hanyou, if you haven't already pointed out enough." Inu-Yasha snapped angrily.  
  
"Let him talk Inu-Yasha." Kagome said.   
  
Sesshomaru nodded at her in thanks, "As I was saying, you have the ability to transform, if you're desperate enough, into something like my true form. Albeit smaller and weaker because you're half-ling, but it should be strong enough to get you free of those restraints."   
  
"You fucking asshole!" Inu-Yasha snarled as he got to his feet...  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
  
  
**Another Author's Note: Teehee. I just wanted to piss you all off with another cliff hanger ending. God I hate those when I'm reading but sometimes it's necessary to give one's eyes a break. I did end it a little early I must admit but that means that I have an opportunity to write another chapter. I'm pretty confident that this one is a little less coherent than the other one, but that's all right, right? 


	3. The Windcaller and the Coyote: The flowe...

Sesshomaru glared at his younger brother, hiding most of his amusement. The hanyou could transform into a smaller version of the dog demon that both Sesshomaru and his father embodied normally. That is,if he was desperate enough. Inu-Yasha stared at him, jaw agape as Sesshomaru stared back at him, almost defiantly, as if daring him to deny that what his half brother had said was true.   
"You lie. You always lie to me, I don't understand it." Inu-Yasha said indignantly slamming his fist on the table and sat back.  
His bitch seemed to be taking it quite well, Sesshomaru mused. The girl had hardly said a word since they'd stormed in, forced into captivity with him and demanded to know why he, Lord Sesshomaru, was held captive in his own home.   
"Do you think I am lying Kagome-sama?" Sesshomaru asked quietly.  
Kagome was silent for a moment as she stared back at him, making eye contact and holding it. She seemed to be trying to read his face for an indication of dishonesty.  
"I don't know if you're lying or not. You've been able to lie to us straight faced before, so why should we believe you?" Kagome asked.  
"Because I am in no position to do anything." Sesshomaru replied trying to hide his wounded dignity, he held up his shackled wrists. "With these on I can't do anything. I can't transform, I can't use my poison talons...Hell, I can't even break these manacles to protect my girl."   
Rin was still asleep on his lap, and he really didn't care whether or not his brother paid attention to how his lord brother had degraded himself to let himself be touched by a human-whelp.   
Inu-Yasha shifted uneasily. He too had been chained up, chained to Kagome no less. She didn't seem to mind though, the chains easily extended enough so they could sit a comfortable distance apart. Not that she'd want to be close to a fucking hanyou. Inu-Yasha berated himself inside his head. Not close to a full youkai either. Damn it all.  
"Your chains are made out of a different material. Hanyou are only half-strength so--"  
"We already know that." Kagome interupted feeling her companions discomfort.   
"--So, she didn't think it was necessary to use such an expensive metal to contain a hybrid." Sesshomaru finished, "And no I was not taking another stab at your mixed heritage brother. On the contrary, I'm actually relieved you are what you are."  
Kagome frowned, it wasn't bad enough that he had to point out Inu-Yasha's heritage again but he had to rub salt into the wound to say that it pleased him to see his brother's deepest anguish.  
She was about to say something when Rin stirred in Sesshomaru's arms. The little girl blinked and looked up at her youkai protector and smiled. The look she gave Sesshomaru was one of love and adoration, something that Kagome had never thought she'd see in a human's eyes, especially directed at Sesshomaru.  
"G'morning Sesshomaru-sama." Rin chirped.   
"How are you feeling Rin?" Sesshomaru asked calmly as he looked down at her.  
Kagome felt herself blush as she saw Sesshomaru's face soften as he looked down at the tiny girl in his lap.  
"Rin is feeling better than last night." Rin said as she affectionately nuzzled his tail with her face, then she caught sight of the manacles, her face seemed confused and sad at the same time, "How come Sesshomaru-sama is all tied up?"  
Sesshomaru frowned as if pained, "I don't know Rin."  
"Don't worry, Rin will help you." Rin said and kissed his hands.  
Sesshomaru looked up at them and instantly his face hardened. "Do your really think I would lie to you in a position like this?"  
"No...I guess not." Kagome said finally, she lowered her head in kind of half-nod half-bow.  
Inu-Yasha looked at her almost sternly, his eyes were a mix of emotions. Hurt, confusion, anger, and sadness were all there. She'd agreed with Sesshomaru, meaning if he failed and Sesshomaru really had lied to them he'd be humiliated in front of both his high-headed half-brother and in front of someone he did not wish to fail.   
Wildrose was unrecognizable now, Kagome thought, she'd almost completely merged with Coyote and Coyote-spirit. The only thing to do now was sit and wait until Wildrose or should she say Coyote-rose had finished their transformation and had passed judgement on the one who had commited the crime against their people so many years ago. Kagome thought bitterly about the first day they'd met. Wildrose had that sketchbook that she carried with her everywhere, and had been so considerate as to let Kagome borrow it just to look at a couple of sketches. That's where this had started, and it was all her fault.  
Unable to face her most recent crime against Inu-Yasha and the others, Kagome withdrew inside herself. She hugged her knees up to her chin and stared at the floor. Hot tears flooded her eyes. If only she'd been left out of this none of it would have happened.  
Then again the sighting of the demon woman with Sesshomaru happened only when Wildrose arrived in Japan, before Kagome had even thought of bringing Wildrose into Sengoku-jidai.  
Sesshomaru suddenly stood up, Rin had already jumped off of his lap and claimed a futon in the next room. Sesshomaru felt his lips turn up slightly in spite of himself. She was already asleep. Without having the extra duty of caring for Rin he found that he really needed to bathe,at least to get the god awful smell of Coyote off of him. The chain connected to the manacles moved with him as he left the room, the invisible anchor seeming to follow him out.  
Inu-Yasha heard Kagome sniff a few times and looked over at her to find she was practically sobbing into her arms. He moved closer to her and put his arms hesitantly around her.  
She shook him off the first time but didn't the second time.  
"A--Ashiteru Kagome." he whispered.  
She looked up at him, tears making her now blue-gray eyes even more beautiful.  
"Nani?"   
"Ashiteru." he repeated and hugged her closer.  
She practically dove into his arms and buried her face in his shoulder, "You can't! You can't love me!"  
She was practically yelling it at him. He didn't care if she said he couldn't because he did. He pulled her even closer and fought back tears of his own.  
"Doushite?" he asked rubbing her back tenderly. "Why can't I love you?"  
"Y-you just can't. I'm so mean to you all the time and I get you into trouble and your always getting hurt because of me and---and--"  
"I love you." he repeated, "Not because you're faultless, but because you are what you are."  
"I hate what I am! I'm a horrible person! You're only in this mess because I had to drag you into it! You're always getting into trouble and getting hurt because of me!"  
He took a hold on her shoulders and forced her back reluctantly, even though seeing her tear stained face was more painful than any sword blade.   
"You're not a horrible person! You're amazing, and how can you even think that? Coyote and Wildrose were here long before you knew them. Before we even knew there was something wrong. I would have gotten involved even if you hadn't brought her here, but I probably would not be alive if you weren't here with me" Inu-Yasha scolded her and then forced her back into his bear hug. "How can you even think that?! I could never believe that, you're the first person to ever accept me for what I am, a damnable half-breed."  
She was still crying but she locked her arms around his neck, and he was relieved that she still wanted to touch him.  
"Ashiteru...Oh gods I love you." he sighed and inhaled her scent.  
He'd definately kill himself if he couldn't smell her. Her scent was still a bit sad but was also happy too and it was just as soft and gentle as it always was.   
His shirt in as much disarray as it was allowed her to touch his bare skin and she did, sending shivers down his spine. Her hands were cold but they still managed to get a tingle started in the pit of his stomach.   
"Ashiteru Inu-Yasha." she muttered and kissed his collar bone. "I don't care what you are. Ashiteru."  
She put her arms up to be able to get her chained hands over his head and drew him closer. The chains on his manacles extended enough to allow him to keep his arms around her, though the chain between them was a bit uncomfortable and even restraining as they were. Deciding that a little bit of contact with Inu-Yasha was better than none Kagome pulled him closer and rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.  
  
  
******  
  
"I won't. I can't do it." Wildrose's mind screamed.  
"Why not? He's betrayed you, he does not want you..." Coyote-sprits voice mingled with Coyote's taunted. "With us, he can't resist you."  
"I want him to want me. Not us, just me."  
"Then kill him."   
"I won't kill him either." Wildrose stated firmly.  
"Then finish joining with us." the smug spirits commanded.  
Wildrose felt them bombard her mind, as if they were throwing themselves against it and screamed. She opened her eyes to stare at the looking glass.  
She was beautiful as a demon. She had to admit that at least.   
She had missed beauty by mere inches as a human, now with Coyote and Coyote-spirit inside her she would be practically irrisistable to any man who used his eyes.  
"He will love me now. He has to." Wildrose muttered to herself.  
Tears stung at her eyelids and ran a carved course down her face.  
"I'm so sorry you guys....." Wildrose stared out over throne room, surveying, through the darkly tinted windows, the land that was Sesshmaru's manor.   
The woods surrounding them were dead. No birds sang, not even a cricket dared to chirp. How could Sesshomaru live in such silence? Why did she care?  
The man was an asshole. A simple stated truth rang through her mind. Something she'd have to learn to deal wtih while joined with Coyote and Coyote-spirit. Their thoughts, no matter how absurd or mean or out of character for her, were her thoughts.   
"Mine..." she whispered, childishly as the mental picture of Sesshomaru loomed up before her mind's eye.   
Sighing she sat down in the throne where she assumed the Great Demon, Sesshomaru and Inu-Yasha's dearly departed lord father, had sat many years before even Sesshomaru had been able to talk. The silky fabric of the cushion pressed against her bare skin, almost bitingly.  
"Even inanimate things...softer than most, are hard bared against me now....Am I that unholy?" Wildrose thought, another tear made it's way down her face.  
It was followed by another, and another. And then several more as the emotional storm cloud broke over her. She decided that she was the intruder here, and for things to return to normal she must transfer the soon to be battle field to a place that was more remote than this.   
Coyote took over for the moment and thrust a bone spear into the cushion of the throne, breaking the spear head off so it hung just so, this spear, unlike the others, the feathers adorning it's tip were simply black, to ward off any angry souls that should pass by it and to signify the way she felt inside, dead.   
  
******  
  
It was nearly sunrise and Shippou was hopelessly lost. Kitsune, fox-youkai , as he was his nose hadn't fully developed. He'd lost the trail of scents that the group had left behind them heading for the village, and was now plunging blindly through the woods.   
He'd turned back only once to find that the place where his friends had fallen before him had been, the forest seemed to have collapsed in on the opening of the forest, barricading the world from it's unholy nature.   
The forest seemed dead. Even at the break of day, he could tell that it would not be very light out. The sky was a turning a dreary gray color, and soon gray, dismal rain began to pour down on the sad looking kit.   
He stummbled several times along the root strewn path, but this time as he felt the mud, the consistancy of clay, soak through his haori he didn't get up. Instead he cried. Mourning for the friends he'd surely lost behind him in the deep dark forbidding forest and mourning for himself, for he would surely die if he did not find Kaede's village soon.  
He lay in the mud, shivering with cold and hunger and ache of the run that had taken him a day and two nights to complete, until he was sure he had heard Inu-Yasha's voice. He realized it was his imagination playing a horrible trick.   
He looked up, his blue-green eyes wide and aching, his hero, the brave Inu-Yasha, stood there with Tetsusaiga slung over his shoulder stoically.  
"Get up useless pup!" Inu-Yasha snarled.  
"But I'm tired..." Shippou heard himself say.  
He looked over to see an image of himself in a similar state of disarray. He heard Inu-Yasha heave a dramatic sigh.  
Shippou remembered it now. Kagome had left to go back to her own time that day and Inu-Yasha and Shippou were caught in a rainstorm on the long walk to Kaede's village. He remembered almost fondly.  
Inu-Yasha sighed again and walked over to Shippou, sheathing the Steel Cleaving Fang, Shippou had been afraid that the older hanyou would hit him for being so useless, so stupid, but he didn't. Instead Inu-Yasha picked the Kitsune up and dusted him off as best he could then lifted the light cub up and placed Shippou on his shoulders. Shippou smiled as he saw himself grab Inu-Yasha's ears lightly and though the hanyou shivered against the cold wetness of his hands, he didn't protest.  
"You wouldn't give up...would you Inu-Yasha?" Shippou said to himself as he saw his mental self and Inu-Yasha disappear into the woods, on their way home.  
Shippou finally picked himself up painfully and brushed himself off and started to trudge in the direction he'd seen Inu-Yasha disappear into a moment ago. He felt a pricking little bite in the back of his knee.  
Growling in frustration Shippou slapped the back of his knee and sent himself back down into the mud. He lifted his hand to glare at the dead bug clinging to his hand, the little bastard that had bitten him in his moment of dignity. Instead of the smushed corpse of a bug he saw the half-squished form of Myoga the flea.  
"Myoga-jiji!" Shippou exclaimed excitedly.  
"Good...to see you...too." Myoga grunted out.  
After recovering quickly Myoga jumped up to grip onto Shippou's ear.   
"It's a bit dangerous for you to be so far from the village alone Pup. Where's Inu-Yasha and that lovely miko girl...Kagome? Where are they?" Myoga piped.  
Shippou grimaced and started to cry. Myoga sensed that he'd gotten seperated, but that didn't answer the question. Where were the two who were supposedly subbing in for Shippou's parents?  
"Th-they....*hic*...Wildrose *hic*....an' Coyote *hic hic*...one...she attacked *hic* An' boom! Miroku and Sango *hic* in trees! An'--an' Kagome and Inu-Yasha *hic* Coyote *hic* took them!" Shippou managed to say as he hiccuped through his sobs.  
From what the old flea was able to gather, the girl Wildrose, that Kagome had brought with her was really another side of Coyote. She attacked wounding and possibly killing Miroku and Sango, then kidnapped Kagome and Inu-Yasha, whisking them both to an unknown place to do god knows what.  
"M-Myog-gaaaa **hic, sniff**jijiiii...What am I gonna dooo?" Shippou wailed.  
"Well, first you are going to stop crying. That won't solve anything. Second we'll go to the place you say Coyote captured Kagome and Inu-Yasha-sama. Then we'll play it by ear." Myoga said patting the kistune's head, though the poor child couldn't feel it.  
  
******  
  
"I will try to do this...." Inu-Yasha muttered, feeling stupid and over all self-concious at the moment, dressed only in a loincloth. "But if I find you have lied to me brother..."   
His threats were idle at the moment, Sesshomaru thought blandly.   
"We've no time for threats." Sesshomaru said.  
Rin leaned on his arm and looked intently at Inu-Yasha who settled down on the floor, Kagome volunteering her lap as a pillow. She cocked her head dog-like, much to the amusment of her guardian, to watch the 'attempted transformation'.   
Kagome forced herself to relax as she saw his complete form for only the second or third time in her life. She blushed and tried to ignore the fact he stood their clothed in next to nothing.  
Inu-Yasha tried to ignore the three sets of eyes focused on him and concentrate on the task at hand. He had to find desperation in himself. He had to want this badly.  
Kagome hushed both Sesshomaru and Rin with a look and Inu-Yasha plunged deeper into his heart. Desperation was there, he was desperate to escape humiliation, hurt, desperate to get Kagome to love him, to be with him...Desperate for so many things. Most of all, he wanted to escape things. He finally grasped the anxious emotion, he just had to mold it to be what he wanted.  
Kagome fought back a gasp as she saw Inu-Yasha start to change. Fur, the same color as his hair sprouted up and grew denser and his face seemed to elongate. She closed her eyes against the crackling, popping, shifting noises she knew were his bones and muscles moving, and growing to become what they needed. She felt his head butt up against her stomach and his body shift.   
When she looked again the transformation was complete, and instead of her beloved hanyou friend, there was a large white wolf-like dog laying in her lap, amber eyes turned up at her in interest. The chains, the ones that had bound him to her for several hours had finally snapped, freeing his 'hands' from the manacles. Finally Inu-Yasha, or his dog form, rolled over in her lap in order to lift himself to his feet.  
She grasped his head in her hands and stared hard at his face, looking stern. She felt him try once to pull away but stopped, seeing she was examining his face. She finally smiled, recognizing the deep gray and black markings around his eyes as his eyebrows and the black nose to be his own. Around the dog's neck were the familiar, and oddly beautiful blue and white rosary beads.  
"He did it! You did it Inu-Yasha!" Kagome cried and threw her arms around the great beast's neck.  
Sesshomaru found himself hiding his smile, even Rin smiled from her perch in Sesshomaru's lap.  
Kagome held up her hands and held them wide apart only after encouraged to do so by a nudge under her arms by Inu-Yasha. The immense jaws shut down on the chains with a snap, when he let go the chains crumbled and the manacles let go having been clipped by those bright white teeth that rested firmly in the dog's head.  
Inu-Yasha nuzzled her neck,and sniffed her happily as she hugged him. He felt like this form was his freedom, it felt so good...so right.   
Then, hesitantly Inu-Yasha turned to Sesshomaru and Rin. He sniffed at them both and stood silently glared at them.  
Rin threw herself in front of Sesshomaru, much to the youkai's dismay.   
"No! Bad doggy! You can't hurt Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin declared loudly, "No!"  
The little girl sniffed loudly as Sesshomaru's arms came around her, hugging her back away from the transformed Inu-Yasha. If he was going to die by the hands of his halfling brother now, he wanted Rin to be safe behind him, not out in front of his where Inu-Yasha's large jaws waited. Rin sniffed again and then burst into tears, clutching Sesshomaru's haori in a death grip.  
Inu-Yasha could still figure out human speech and was taken aback. He sniffed again and nudged Sesshomaru's arm gently.  
Sesshomaru held up his wrists cautiously and Inu-Yasha snapped the magic-chains into tiny bits between his teeth.  
"Thank you." Sesshomaru finally said, just loud enough for Inu-Yasha to hear.  
Rin looked up bleary eyed and smiled somewhat raggedly. Inu-Yasha tossed his head and sniffed. Kagome grinned, knowing if his mouth and vocal chords worked she'd hear the familiar snort she'd grown so accustomed to hearing, though not fond of in the least.  
Inu-Yasha sat back on his haunches beside Kagome, looking eagerly at his brother to hear the next move.  
"What do we do next? If we try to get out of here Wild---Coyote will hear and she'll probably kill us." Kagome said.  
"I know." Sesshomaru said. "But I don't plan on abandoning my home, simply because that bitch wants my head on a pike."  
"Rin thinks Sesshomaru-sama is going to fight again." Rin said sadly.  
Kagome looked at the small girl in puzzlement. Sesshomaru had never shown another human being an ounce of kindness and here he was treating Rin like a daughter. She sat on his lap, she slept with him in his bed, she even shared his food. How the little girl had won over the inu-youkai's heart so easily was beyond comprehension.   
"Yes Rin. I am going to fight, when I come back we can travel to the next village and you can get a new doll. How's that?" Sesshomaru bribed a smile from Rin as easily as she did him.  
"Rin likes that idea." Rin smiled and hugged him.  
"Right now it smells like Rin needs a bath." Sesshomaru said gently disengaging her from his neck, "While I'm gone you will bathe and change into a new outfit."  
Rin nodded and jumped down from his lap and ran out of the room.   
Kagome looked at Inu-Yasha's face, he was still looking anxiously at his brother.   
"Sesshomaru, how are we supposed to do anything? Both your sword and Inu-Yasha's have been taken away. All you have is your talons." Kagome pointed out.  
Sesshomaru looked up at his half-brother, "That is of no consequence. I will simply regain both swords."  
Kagome shook her head, no matter how weakened Coyote was by joining with Wildrose it wouldn't be that easy to get the swords from her.   
"If if were you, however, I would be more worried about how I would protect that weak skin of yours." Sesshomaru said.  
Kagome frowned, "You and Inu-Yasha always know just what to say."  
Inu-Yasha whined a bit and snuffed at her until she looked at him. He dropped the fire rat cloak into her lap. She shook her head.  
"You'll need it if you have to revert to normal." Kagome said shaking her head vigorously. "She's right. And she'll need more than that." Sesshomaru said almost to himself.  
At first Kagome thought the youkai lord had gone insane. Wandering around the room muttering to himself, passing his hand over walls, until he finally found was he was looking for.   
He thrust his arm through the wall and it seemed to crumble and give way to a small dark chamber. He disappeared into it and reemerged with what looked like a disassembled suit of armor.   
Inu-Yasha eyed it suspiciously and sniffed at it, backed up then looked at Sesshomaru.  
"It was your mother's." Sesshomaru said, confirming his suspicion. "Father couldn't always be ontop of that mortal wretch, so he had armor made so she could follow him into battle, so he could try and keep her out of harms way."  
Sesshomaru dumped the load unceremoniously on the floor and Inu-Yasha growled deep within his throat while Kagome practically gasped her surprise, even with his obvious dislike for his half-brother she would have thought Sesshomaru would treat the dead with more respect.  
"I'll leave you to put that on. I'll be back shortly." Sesshomaru said.  
Kagome didn't dare touch the armor. It had belonged to Inu-Yasha's mother, it was practically holy, and if anything happened to it he'd probably go into the youkai-madness.  
She eyed it from a distance though. The Great Demon that was Inu-Yasha's father had to have loved this human woman very much to have had this made. The armor seemed to be made out of gold, though she supposed it would have to be made out of something far stronger to be considered armor. A drawing of what she thought was meant to be Inu-Yasha's father in his true form, was embossed across the breast plates and designs decorated it to the point of excess.  
She must have looked quite intimidating, riding before an army of youkai, backed up by her lord husband in his youkai form, Kagome thought. A very romantic image, but still intimidating. Any man in his right mind would tremble in his boots.  
She felt a cold wet nose press against the back of her hand, and she looked to see Inu-Yasha's head butt up under her arm so her hand rested on his muzzle. She stroked the fur between his ears affectionately and even dared to rub one of them between her fingers. The beast purred a bit but then gave her another shove under the arm, pushing her towards the armor.  
"Inu-Yasha, it's your mother's...I can't..." She started.  
Inu-Yasha growled and then pulled away from her, then opened his mouth and closed it around her wrist, not ungently but with enough force so she couldn't pull away. With that he dragged her to the armor and dropped her in front of it.  
Even without speech she knew what he wanted her to do. He didn't care that the armor had belonged to his mother. It was what would keep her safe when he couldn't be there.  
"I don't even know how to put this stuff on." Kagome stated indignantly.  
Inu-Yasha snorted and made a noise half-way between a bark and a yip. Sesshomaru returned looking quite disgusted.  
"What do you mean she doesn't know how? You haven't even shown your woman how to put on armor? Pathetic!" Sesshomaru spat at the dog.  
Another snort, followed by a growl.  
Sesshomaru glared at Kagome, making her shudder. He picked up a breast plate and gestured for her to approach him. She did so and did so very cautiously.  
He circled around her back and slid the peices over her head and told her to hold her arms out and not to move. Then he did something that she nearly whirled around and smacked him for. His hands moved to push the breast plates up against her and he wound up cupping both the armor and her at the same time. She felt her face heat up with a blush and let out a breath of indignation while Inu-Yasha growled his displeasure.  
"It is your fault she does not know how to put on armor dear brother. If either of you feel too uncomfortable with my help I will leave you to your own devices." Sesshomaru said warningly.  
Catching her breath she finally managed to speak. "You can understand him like that?"  
"It's obvious what he's thinking through the way he acts but even so I can understand him. After all, I have a form like that too." he reminded her then cinched the armor plates together tightly making her gasp for breath. "I believe you can get the rest. It's just arm and shin guards now. You slide them on over your shins and lower arm."  
She nodded and he finally left again, she tossed off her shoes and pulled the shin guards on and made sure they were in the right place before she put the shoes back on and started to slide her arms into the glove like arm guards.  
She stood up again and looked at herself.   
"So, how's it look? Dumb right?" Kagome asked Inu-Yasha, noticing him watching her intently.  
He let out a low woof and picked himself up to stand beside her. He nuzzled the side of her face comfortingly.   
It was definately easier to touch her like this. She didn't smack him, she didn't sit him. She dealt with him like she would a regular dog, but with a little more respect.  
Respect. That and the word she'd said to him the night before were making him feel more at ease. He told her he loved her, and she said she loved him back. It was almost too good to be true.   
Almost.  
  
******  
  
"You might want to bring his clothes. I'm pretty sure that if he changes back he'll want something to cover his dignity with." Sesshomaru said to Kagome.  
Kagome nodded and folded up the fire rat clothing and undershirt and tossed them over Inu-Yasha's back, even though she was sure that there was nothing wrong with his 'dignity'.   
"Do you have any idea of what you're doing?" Kagome asked suddenly.  
"Yes." Sesshomaru answered tersely.  
"If you hurt Wildrose, you'll probably wind up with your head on a pike anyways. Her family won't be happy." Kagome said.  
"Humans don't scare me." Sesshomaru said with a frown. "They're weak."  
"Feh. You could be surprised what modern weaponry might do to youkai." Kagome retorted, stealing Inu-Yasha's favorite sentence-in-a-word.  
Inu-Yasha leaned down so Kagome could climb onto his back. He fought back the wierd feeling that he felt when the bare skin of her legs managed to touch him through the fur on his back and grimaced when he saw his brother giving him an all-knowing look.  
"Feels good, doesn't it brother?" Sesshomaru asked him in his own language.  
"Shut up." Inu-Yasha growled.  
Sesshomaru chuckled and pushed the door to their chamber open. Inu-Yasha felt Kagome shiver as the cold air blasted against them and had to remind himself why he was this way.   
They stepped out into the main chamber and shut the doors behind them, Sesshomaru casting a quick seal/shielding spell on the doors to protect Rin.  
Looking around Kagome noted they hadn't been imprisoned far from the entrance. She looked at the doors almost longingly as they walked by them. No one would find them here at Sesshomaru's castle. Only Sesshomaru and his associates knew of this place.  
While they were walking Sesshomaru began to talk to Inu-Yasha in the inu-youkai language knowing full-well Kagome was feeling in the dark and hurt by his secrecy.  
"I don't understand why you don't just take her. You could have overpowered her defenses easily. She probably would have liked it too." Sesshomaru said.  
"Watch your mouth--I mean--That's disgusting!"  
"Your reluctancy to admit you want her is unnerving. Brother, I know you, I can smell that you want her."  
"So maybe I do. So what? I'm not going to take advantage of her like that."   
"Why?"  
"Because...Because...She doesn't want me." Inu-Yasha admitted and hung his head.  
"She does too. Even now, it's even more obvious with her scent. She wants you and she wants you bad."   
"Stop lying to me."   
"Take a sniff dear Brother. Nature has a wonderful way of letting males know what a female wants." Sesshomaru taunted.  
Inu-Yasha sniffed silently so Kagome couldn't hear. He felt his face heat up when he realized Sesshomaru hadn't been lying. He felt his mouth go dry and was silent.  
God...even as a dog he's hot...Dear lord what am I thinking?! Ack! But...what am I so afraid of. So he's sexy, so what? I can think he's sexy, I have that right at least....right?  
Kagome felt the rolling of Inu-Yasha's spine beneath her as he walked, he'd slowed down considerably and it felt like something was bothering him. He'd stopped sniffing, stopped growling and woofing to his brother and was all together silent.  
Worrying he might be nervous, or lost his cool she rubbed her knuckles against his spine.  
"Hey Inu-Yasha, lighten up." she told him, not daring to do so herself.  
Even with this solem mood Kagome felt a certain peace inside her. Ever since she'd admitted her deepest secret to the hanyou, the male she called friend had turned into the male she called 'lover' and it didn't seem to bother her anymore. Strangely it felt right to be here, with Inu-Yasha even though he was literally a dog. The rolling of his spine, the feel of his back, even the closeness to him felt right.   
Does she take feeling this way lightly? What if she does? Mates are supposed to share their first...what if she's already done that with someone else...God her skin's smooth.  
Inu-Yasha tensed as he noted the combined scents of the companions they'd left, or rather were taken from, in the now overgrown forest area. The doors of the entrance sounded like they'd exploded open and charging in came Sango, Miroku and Shippou, then last and probably least was Myoga the flea who clung to Shippou's ear.  
He turned his shaggy head, ears pricked in their direction. He felt with a combined sense of distress and relief that Kagome's scent was returning to normal.   
"You guys!" Kagome nearly shouted for joy of seeing her friends alive again.  
"Kagome-chan!" Sango and Shippou cried together.  
After a moment of exchanged verbal greetings Miroku asked the question on everyone's mind.  
"Where's Inu-Yasha?" the monk asked.  
At the mention of his name Inu-Yasha's ears laid back and swiveled forward again with a snort. Kagome laughed at the somewhat worried faces her friends and the reaction Inu-Yasha had given them for not recognizing him.  
They hadn't noticed Sesshomaru yet, and Kagome was beginning to wonder when they would.  
"Sesshomaru, would you care to explain?" Kagome asked.  
Sesshomaru snorted and attracted the attention of the little band of rescuers. Sango held her boomerang aloft and Miroku was prepared to open the Air Rip if need be. Meanwhile, the transformed Kirara sniffed at Inu-Yasha with interest and a protest from the hanyou. Kirara suddenly backed up in recognition and gave a meow and butted her head up under Inu-Yasha's chin.  
Inu-Yasha backed up nearly jumping around and losing his precious cargo in the process.  
"Hey, Inu-Yasha, be careful!" Kagome cried as her hands wove themselves deeper into his fur.   
He snorted but looked at her over his shoulder. Shippou had heard the cry from Kagome and whipped his little kitsune head around to look.  
"Th-that's Inu-Yasha?!" Shippou gasped.  
Sango and Miroku looked up with surprise as well.  
"Kagome-sama, I think you need to clear some of this up. Where's Inu-Yasha?" Miroku asked again.  
Instead of saying something that would sound perverted to the already lecherous priest Kagome simply pointed down at the dog she rode on.  
"THAT'S Inu-Yasha?!" Sango echoed Shippou's gasp. "What happened to him?"  
Kagome sighed, feeling Inu-Yasha shift uneasily beneath her she realized she'd have to explain what was going on, very carefully in order for them to understand.  
"Inu-Yasha, do you want to stay as you are or revert?" Kagome asked.  
Inu-Yasha snorted something and growled and Kagome looked to Sesshomaru for translation.  
"He said he wants to stay as is." Sesshomaru said irritably as he rolled his eyes, quite obviously disgusted at the way he was being disrespected.  
Kagome shrugged and was careful on sliding off of Inu-Yasha's back so her skirt wouldn't wind up around her neck. She dusted herself off and straightened her uniform and the armor before beginning the story.  
  
******  
  
A while later they were on the move again, Kagome again on Inu-Yasha's back, prefering to ride with the hanyou more for her own comfort with Inu-Yasha rather than risk being near Kirara in the overly affectionate mood she was in at the moment.   
"Where would she go in a place like this?" Kagome asked no one in particular as she was getting more and more irritated by the minute.   
With Coyote in charge of Wildrose's actions she could be anywhere in Japan, not just in Sesshomaru's castle.   
Sesshomaru finally decided against his better judgement. "JAKEN!" he bellowed.  
The echoes reverberated off the high ceiling and walls and a few moments later he bellowed the name again. Only the sensitive hearing of Sesshomaru and Inu-Yasha picked up the faint reply.   
"One moment please Lord Sesshomaru." Jaken answered in his high pitched voice, even higher at the moment because he was in pain.   
"Don't bother moving Jaken, I'll find you." Sesshomaru sighed irritably.  
"He can't hear you when you're that quiet."  
"I know that, you idiot." Sesshomaru retorted to Inu-Yasha, earning himself a few odd stares from the group behind him that made him sweat nervously, they all probably thought he was going insane.   
"What did he say?" Kagome asked, good-natured.  
"Nothing." Sesshomaru said with a frown as he marched up the stairs to a door among the many that lined the halls the others followed not too far behind.  
He pushed it open and Kagome nearly gasped as she realized that this must be Rin's bedroom. The room itself was large enough to fit Sota and Kagome's bedrooms in with room to spare and it was also adjacent to several other rooms. Among the toys that Rin obviously played with all the time was the disgusting toad servent Kagome and the others knew as Jaken.  
  
Despite being his usual warty, green, disgusting self Kagome thought Jaken looked terrible. His left eye had swollen into a nasty shade of purple and was sealed shut, his nose looked like it had caved in and was caked with blood.  
"What truck hit you Toad?" Kagome asked coldly.  
"None of yer business Wench!" Jaken replied angrily and pushed himself to his feet.  
"Jaken, go clean up and then check on Rin. She's in the chambers on the right side downstairs." Sesshomaru ordered, "If I find you've tried anything when I get back you'll be in worse condition then when I found you. Got it?"  
"Yes M'lord." Jaken said and scurried down the stairs.  
Listening for a few minutes Sesshomaru laughed quietly when he heard the sound of electricity coming to ground and a loud curse from Jaken. Sesshomaru smirked, he'd forgotten to warn Jaken about the shield spells.  
Then turning to the rest of the group he said, "She's not here. She's left."   
"What?! How could she? Where could she go?!" Kagome demanded.  
She was starting to remind him of Inu-Yasha with her impatience. But then, Wildrose, or whatever the human was called had been Kagome's friend after all. Maybe she had a reason to be impatient.  
"I have a suspicion of where she went." Sesshomaru said.  
He walked quickly, not slowing his pace for his 'guests' to keep up. He was down the stairs and through the door at the back of the main room, he walked calmly up to the spear that stuck out of the beautiful scarlet-purple silk cushion of his father's throne. He could smell the scent of Coyote on it, and on the chair as a matter of fact, she hadn't been happy here.   
He noted the broken head of the spear and the black feathers. He heard his other guests enter the throne room.  
He snorted. So Coyote thought she'd insult him in his own home...Some guest.  
"What's with the broken spear?" Miroku asked.  
"It's Coyote's signature." Sesshomaru finally said after a tense silence. "It's different though. The feathers...There are usually two or three, at least one of them white, and one of them black. They represent night and day and the spirits that haunt both. Day, the white, represents life, energy, everything good. Night, the black, represents the souls of the dead, their unfinished business and binds them to their respective reallm."   
Miroku eyed it, "I've never heard of that. Is it youkai tradition or something?"  
"No, it's Anasazi." Sesshomaru replied calmly, if they were going to help him they deserved an explanation, even if it wasn't complete.   
"Wildrose's people?" Kagome asked.  
"No, that would be impossible. The Anasazi were whiped out completely at least a hundred years ago." Sesshomaru sighed.   
"How would you know?"  
"I was the one who killed them all. That's why Coyote is angry with me. The Anasazi were a valued tribe of Coyote-spirit, he took great pride in them as they lavished him with gifts.   
I arrived in the lands far to the east and west. I found a route that took me over oceans to this land from Father's lands in the west, and I found a route later from here in Japan, going east. But once I was there, Coyote-spirit's high priestess, Coyote, found me where I migrated south.   
She and I became lovers, and I thought it would please her to be my mate...She rejected me, even though I offered to give myself to Coyote-spirit as she had. I---I lost control and killed everyone in the tribe and destroyed the temple she served. Coyote-spirit had been injured and had to retreat, thus locking the high-priestess's spirit somewhere.   
After all this time she woke up to find herself alone. Coyote-spirit's contact was gone for a while I suppose. But she's found me, and she wants me to pay for what I did." Sesshomaru explained, trying to be as brief as possible.  
"That's awful! No wonder Coyote wants to kill you." Kagome said off handedly.  
She saw Sesshomaru's expression and slapped herself mentally. Offended wasn't quite the word.  
Inu-Yasha spoke something in Inu-youkai to Sesshomaru and Sesshomaru nodded. He turned to Kagome gravely.  
"He wants me to tell you, you don't need to come with us. You can even return to your own world if you like." Sesshomaru told her.   
"Us?" Kagome echoed the word.  
"Coyote has Tetsusaiga and Tensaiga, not to mention your half of the Shikon no Tama. Inu-Yasha has decided to come with me to retrieve Tetsusaiga and the half of the Shikon no Tama she took." Sesshomaru explained, almost irritably.  
"Uh uh! No way!" Kagome whirled on her transformed companion, catching his dog face between her hands, "Inu-Yasha, I've been left out of most of these battles so far, I won't be left out of this! Not when it's MY friend who's in danger! Besides, Coyote has a shard, you'll need me to find it."  
The dog snorted again but his golden eyes never left hers, the look read like he was incredibly relieved to have her with him.  
Sesshomaru tried to look annoyed but it was hard to hide his relief. His brother and his wench would be there to help him, that gave him somewhat of a chance against Coyote.  
"The rest of you, be gone by the time I get back" Sesshomaru commanded.  
  
******  
  
The ancient dancing ground was completely emtpy, save for the altar erected in the middle and for Wildrose, who wove in among the spears surrounding the edge of the smooth dirt circle.  
She sighed as she ran her fingers along the smooth surface of the spears. Almost wishing the others would get here soon. They would free her from this loneliness. With Coyote bonded to her mind now she remembered everything. There was no hosting family for her, she wasn't a foreign exchange student. She was simply a teenage girl who'd run away from home and found a cheap way to Japan, hopefully to make a new start. Her tribe had all but forgotten her.   
She was the outcast, and as soon as that leather necklace touched her skin it was made even more apparent. No one wanted to be around the chieftan's granddaughter. She was supposed to be a boy, an heir to the chief. But no, only she and her sister were born to her father. The other girls of the tribe tried to include her somewhat, only at the chieftan's insistence, but she always felt out of place. Even in modern day society her tribe still only allowed men to take the role as chieftan of the tribe.  
She came to Japan, enrolled in a school using the driver's licsense and other identification that she'd stolen from her mother's purse, even used the debit card her parents had gotten her for emergencies to buy the cheap little apartment she was living in, and most of the food that was in it had come from the same debit card. Her parents, she supposed, were bearing the brunt of the bill in puzzlement as to where she was.   
Kagome is my only friend and now she hates me for using her to get something I want... For what? He's Mr. Ice. *sigh* She and Inu-Yasha are in love and I'm putting them both through hell for someone who doesn't even care. Wildrose thought bitterly.   
She looked over the dancing grounds again from her position leaning against the rock pillar she'd rested against often as a small child. The dancing grounds looked the same in this time as it did in hers. She could probably even contact her parents from here, write them a note, leaving it where it could be found in another three to five hundred years, or whenever it would get back to her time. Hot tears streamed down her face. Coyote and Coyote-spirit had been kind enough to withdraw inside her and leave her to her thoughts for a while.   
Not quite alone anymore but not with anybody either. Coyote and Coyote-spirit were just disembodied entities. Not flesh and blood, they weren't tangible. She couldn't touch them, couldn't feel them embrace her.   
Coyote's mind brushed hers lightly, They will be here soon. You should prepare yourself.   
I know....  
Wildrose...This is the only way, if there were any other way to get what we want I would tell you. Coyote tried to comfort her.  
Wildrose heaved a broken hearted sigh.  
I finally get somewhere where someone cares about me, then I take advantage of them. When they finally leave....I die. Wildrose thought sadly.  
She peeled off her shirt and secured the doe-skin skirt around her waist. She dipped her fingers into the orange paint on top of the altar in the middle of the dancing ground and used her dye covered fingers to paint three orange, squared stripes on either side of her rib cage and her face.  
As the paint dried she sniffed the air with her new, better nose. She'd memorized the smell she detected in the air. It was him.  
He'd gotten free of the shackles that Coyote managed to get on him while he slept. His face was free of emtion, like he'd forgotten the entire incident. He froze at the edge of the dancing grounds, staring at her, eyes a swirl of reactions.  
"Coyote..." he said, barely above a whisper.  
"No..." she replied, "I'm Wildrose."  
"Coyote," he said insistently, "Why did you choose this host?"  
Coyote's presence grasped Wildrose's mind again, this time with more force.  
"She was alone...like I was for so long....She understood, I offered her a way out." Coyote's voice emerged from Wildrose's mouth.  
Wildrose felt tears flow freely down her painted cheeks.  
Sesshomaru didn't stay put. He closed the distance between them, blocking her bare skinned torso from the cold desert wind that had picked up.   
The sun was setting, and the desert was getting cool. The altar in the middle of the dancing grounds burst into life, casting it's warm fire-light across his features.  
"Sesshomaru..." Wildrose said, her heart was pounding in her ears, "You can accept me, and this will all be over."  
"I came for the swords." he cut her off.  
Tears came more frequently. Wildrose glared at him, hurt deeply.  
"Don't you want me anymore?" Coyote was merged in her head now, they were one woman, if he scorned one, he scorned the other.  
"You rejected me, Coyote." he explained, "I had my revenge, and I have moved on. You should too."  
******  
  
Kagome and Inu-Yasha crouched side by side near the edge of the light. Both listening and both fighting back an unknown urge. A conversation like this one...It would happen sometime. Someone would get hurt.   
"Why won't you give me a chance?" Wildrose asked bitterly, "Because of Coyote?! I'm not Coyote!"   
Kagome felt her heart go out to Wildrose. She wasn't Coyote and Sesshomaru was damning them both because they existed in the same body.  
"Ashiteru Inu-Yasha." Kagome whispered again, feeling her fingers find their way into the fur on the back of Inu-Yasha's neck.  
The transformed hanyou heaved a sigh and she felt him relax beneath her touch. She could almost hear the word echoed on his humanoid tongue. He was still Inu-Yasha, even if he was in the form of a giant dog.   
Sesshomaru didn't answer. He just stood in front of Wildrose and Coyote as stiff as a board. Even when Wildrose tenderly caressed the side of his face.  
"I fell in love with you through my dreams...Sesshomaru...You were my Shining Knight. You were the person that wouldn't cast me out like the others...Then...you are also a killer... You killed her, Coyote, the one you said you loved. You killed her people. An entire tribe of innocents and you killed them all to prove your point." Wildrose said, withdrawing her hand like she'd been burned.   
What happened next sent Kagome's mind reeling. She saw, but she didn't believe. A sword blade, as sudden and bright as a lightning bolt, thrust it's way through Wildrose's mid-torso.   
Wildrose's eyes went wide, surprise and pain were there in eyes that seemed familiar now. The illusion cast by Coyote and Coyote-spirit faded.   
Sesshomaru put a hand on Wildrose's shoulder, gave her a push and watched emotionlessly as she slid off the blade and crumbled in a broken heap to the ground.  
Kagome didn't bother to bite back the scream that rose in her throat.   
Sesshomaru knelt beside Wildrose as her life's blood ebbed from the open wound in her gut. His graceful fingers caressed her face, then travelled down and gripped the leather strap, with beads and youkai fangs, his hand closed around it. The leather popped as it gave beneath his hand and he threw the remnants into the fire. Then he stood up and watched as Kagome darted forward to cradle her friend's form to her to tell her to hang on for what it was worth.  
He looked into the fire as if expecting answers and plucked a black feather from one of the spears absently and tossed it into the flames to follow Coyote's spirit into the afterlife.  
No fanfare, no dramatic fight. No nothing. Just silence from all except for the crackling of the fire and Kagome's sobs.  
"Kagome..." Wildrose finally broke the silence with a blood filled mouth, "I'm sorry."   
"For what?" Kagome asked through her tears.  
"I haven't known you for long...but you're my friend...I betrayed you...I'm sorry for ruining your fairytale." Wildrose choked.  
"My what?"  
"You and Inu-Yasha...I know now..." Wildrose smiled. "He's your knight in shining armor, isn't he?"   
Her voice was not only for Kagome to hear now, she didn't bother to speak in English, or even whisper.. Kagome smiled.  
"Yes. He is." Kagome laughed.  
"Thank you...Sesshomaru." Wildrose said with tears running down her face, "You really are my knight. Thanks for letting me be your damsel in distress."  
Sesshomaru knelt down and gently lifted Wildrose's head from the ground, and pressed his lips against hers. With that he silently stood up and doused the fire in the altar.   
At first he seemed torn about what to do with the sword that he'd wanted so bad for so long. Tetsusaiga's blade, or what could be seen of it above the sheath glimmered dully in the dim light of the moon. He leaned down to pick up both swords and seemed to fight with himself mentally, even as the flames of his father's shield spell engulfed his hand.   
He heaved a sigh, finally taking notice of the irritating smell of his burning flesh.With that he rested the sword across Inu-Yasha's back, where he lay in the dirt, watching Kagome tend the wounded Wildrose.  
"I have no desire to take it from you like this, dear brother." Sesshomaru smirked ironically, "You ought to seek attention for that wound, if you intend to return her to her family that is."   
"How do we get back?" Kagome asked.  
"Leave that to me. This Sesshomaru is more than capable of using a simple teleportation spell." Sesshomaru replied tersely, "I will stay here for a while. I am in need of some...soul searching I believe is the word you humans use..."  
"What about Rin?" Wildrose croaked.  
Sesshomaru's eyes widened slightly.  
"I remember her when you introduced Coyote to her...She's a precious little girl..." Wildrose choaked again and arched her back wildly in order to take a gasping breath.  
"I will see to her in a day or so. I suppose you will have to check up on her for me Inu-Yasha. See that Jaken is not mistreating her..." Sesshomaru said, neglecting to speak to Wildrose directly.  
Then, sighing and lifting his gracefully clawed hand, he muttered a spell under his breath....  
  
******  
  
  
Another Author's Note: Bwahahahaha! I gave Fluffy-chan a conciense for once! It will not be the last time neither! ^_^ Anywho, there will be a short interlude between this chapter and the ending chapter. You may take this time to get yourself some nurishment or relieve yourself as necessary **Pathetic humans** But be sure to read the next one, I'm intending a superly delicious lemon between our two favorite overly-lemoned couple and if you hate the story so far, flame me on my review page. Of course I might just have to delete it, but who gives a monkey's rear eh? 


	4. The Windcaller and the Coyote: Charmed D...

**Author's Note: Long in the coming I know, but I've had a really really hard time writing this one. There are just so many ways to end it. Grrr! I wish I could've done them all! **cries** And with the new rating system in place I couldn't do exactly as I wanted but this is the result none the less.  
  
  
Charmed Down the Moon  
  
  
Sesshomaru sighed heavily feeling somewhat melancholy, something he permitted himself to feel only while he was alone. And he was indeed alone in this desert.   
Long ago there had been a city nearby, thriving with people who worshipped him in the way humans should worship youkai. The priestess, not human, was as beautiful as the rain goddess depicted in legends.   
He remembered the legends she'd spoke into his ear as they lay under the stars together, serving as an aphrodisiac as she whispered in hushed tones, as if divulging some amazing secret.   
Remembering the stark contrast of the heat of her skin and the chill of the night air and realizing the same contrast was worrying away at her control like a coyote on a bone.  
"You exist to torture me Coyote." he muttered as he felt a tingling sensation on the back of his neck.  
He knew that if he turned now he would see Coyote, the woman who he'd lusted after for over two hundred years, embracing him from behind. She would never be his in this lifetime, he realized, he would have to be patient for the after life where they would be joined forever to be reborn and drawn to each other.  
He felt as her astral form adopted some semblance of substance. Her arms were around his shoulders, her head resting against his, her breath tickling his ear. He felt undignified tears pool in his eyes and finally fall.   
Oh he realized that he could have had her at least for another night. If only he'd shot his pride and let himself make love to the human. Now that he looked at it from this point of view it didn't seem that degrading after all, youkai raped women on a regular basis, what was the difference if she wanted it this time. He shook his head, trying to pull his normal consciousness forward again, it was degrading! How dare he think that way.  
He reached up as his heart contracted and touched her astral face, feeling her mouth close around his fingers and her tongue caress them. She let go, then turned her attention to his ear, her mouth traveling down his jaw sensually.  
"Kami-sama...." he inhaled sharply.  
"Coyote-spirit dwells in a hut in the sky." she began quietly.   
He froze, and felt as his blood heated with this familiar legend being breathed into his ear.  
"He lives there with his wife the Moon. She is a beautiful and good wife to the Coyote-spirit. They make love every night and the sky is speckled with their children.   
"As vain as she is, the Moon disregards her children, content with her husband and just her husband. But Coyote-spirit....ah, now he takes a hand in his children's affairs. Making sure they eat well, their affairs are in order and they live long and prosperous lives.....You my fair youkai are the Moon and I have charmed you down to Earth from the sky."   
He inhaled again as he felt her hands travel down his body.  
"We exist for each other...." she continued. "We will be reunited soon enough. For now...just live. Coyote-spirit cannot harm us anymore."   
He let his breath out in a woosh and felt her pull away, leaving him alone again. He turned to glimpse her visage before she disappeared again, whirled away in a Kachina dance of the spirits.  
Looking up at the moon almost sadly he felt his mind return to control and his feeling of self-pity faded and was replaced by his cool, calculating persona settle back into place.  
  
  
******  
  
Lying beneath the stars was something Kagome decided that she would miss desperately if she stopped coming here. Not likely but still. The stars and the clean air were two things she loved about this time period. Especially since, in her own time, the light and air pollution made it impossible to see the glorious little lights twinkling in the sky. The only thing she could see clearly out of her bedroom window at home was the moon.   
She was reminded with the tingling shudder that went down her spine of the moon's cycle and of Inu-Yasha. It was almost impossible for her to look at the moon now without calculating when his next transformation would be in her head. She was also reminded of the gift Wildrose had given her specifically before she left, and of the story that went with it.  
She shifted, carefully twisting in her sleeping bag so as not to disturb Shippou, to grasp the small pocket on her knapsack and pull the massive thing toward her. It made an almost grating scraping sound as it was dragged and she instinctively looked up into the trees to make sure she wasn't going to wake a certain white-haired hanyou with the noise.  
Surprisingly he wasn't even in his usual perch. Interest piqued, Kagome abandoned the previous task to try and locate Inu-Yasha. She looked back toward the fire and felt her lips quirk slightly seeing how close Miroku lay to Sango without her knowledge. Even Kirara was present and accounted for, and she usually hunted during the night but still no sign of him.  
Kagome moaned softly in irritation and disappointment that she'd have to expose herself to the night air but shook it off momentarily. She gently slid out of her sleeping bag and stood up, resisting the urge to inhale through her teeth as her legs were exposed from beneath the edge of her nightshirt and shorts. From her new vantage point she observed her surroundings, scanning for that familiar red yukata and white hair.   
Snorting for her own stupidity Kagome forced her mind back on the previous task. She wanted to open that damn thing to find out what exactly it was and why Wildrose had bothered to have her shaman grandfather tell her that story when she could have lapsed into coma any second.  
She knelt down and unzipped the pocket to withdraw the little leather wrapped parcel. it was bound with a simple red ribbon and had a small card with her name scrawled on it in Wildrose's hen scratch version of Japanese manuscript.  
She gently tugged the ribbon loose and pulled the leather wrapping gently away, revealing little by little, a small doll. Kagome's mouth dropped open as it lay in her hand. It was simply amazing in the workmanship. The doll was about the size of Kagome's palm and was almost as wide, and it was clothed in supple doe-skin of an almost pure white hue, with brilliant red beads creating two strips on either side of it's ribcage and even in a small pattern on the breechclout and sleeves of the ensemble. But the most intriguing part was the face, small golden eyes stared out at her and that familiar brilliant white-silver hair and those dog ears decorated the top. She couldn't discern what material Wildrose had crafted the hair from, whether it was rabbit fur or actual hair from the hanyou it resembled but she'd managed to capture the softness of it perfectly.  
"The Moon and Coyote are husband and wife, the make love in the sky each night and the sky is speckled with their children. One of their children descended to the world of men and became a great lord of the east. He married a woman and she bore him a strong half-breed son..."  
"So, she told you that story too, huh?" Inu-Yasha's voice asked.  
Kagome jumped and stifled a scream by biting the section of skin between her thumb and index finger.   
"Please don't sneak up on me like that." she said.  
"Why are you still awake?" he asked.  
"Thinking...my brain won't stop doing it." she smiled wryly, it was the absolute truth after all.  
She could swear that she saw his mouth curl into a small smile before he turned away from her.   
It was a long moment before he spoke again and this time he asked a third question, "You wanna go for a walk? Or you could ride on my back if you want."   
She was almost stunned, "Sure."   
Kagome carefully approached him, and almost gasped again when she felt how warm his hands were on her knees. His back was always warm, like he had some kind of furnace burning inside him or something.   
"Hold on." he told her.  
Jumping over the treetops Kagome bit back the urge to do anything besides ride. His hands were practically hot on her thighs and she felt warmer than she did when she was in her sleeping bag as she rested against him and managed to look up at the stars.  
She wondered vaguely if the same constellations looked completely different to the Native Americans than to the Japanese or whether they saw some of the same pictures. She hardly noticed that she still held the doll in her hands.   
Inu-Yasha slowly descended to the ground and she was almost disappointed that he'd decided to stop. She got off his back and suddenly realized she still held the doll. She blushed furiously and clutched it to her heart hoping he didn't think her too much of a little girl for carrying a toy around in the feudal era.  
He turned to look at her, his expression was warm, the kind of expression she'd seen only glimpses of when he looked at her. He sat down and watched her as she sat down opposite him, eyes politely lowered to the hands clasped over the doll in her lap.  
"You look cold." he said after a while.  
She nodded but didn't say a word, didn't even raise her eyes. She heard him stand up and was surprised when he sat down beside her and gently tugged the doll from her grip. She barely managed to look at him out of the corner of her eye and saw he seemed slightly amused, he handed it back to her like it was actually worth what it was to her and she was surprised more when he carefully reached into the small pocket his yukata made where it was tied shut. He produced a small doll and held it out for her to inspect.  
She carefully took it from him to compare with the doll of him. She smiled, the doll she held was slightly smaller in build, and it was clothed only from the waist down, in traditional Native American style. The litle girl doll wore a pale white doe-skin skirt, the same color as the leggings and shirt of the male doll, and it had the same red patterns with the beads. Though this one was obviously female it differed when it came to the face, the eyes were a shimmering brown, blue color, probably a metallic threat, and the hair, like the hair on the male doll resembled her own, jet black and the same feel to it.  
"I found it with a note, it was sitting in the branches of the Goshinboku and it was addressed to me. I asked her about it when you were out getting water while we were bringing her back and she told me a story." Inu-Yasha explained slowly.  
"One of the grandchildren of Coyote and the Moon falls in love with the daughter of mortals." Kagome smiled, "And these are Kachina dolls representing fertility and immortal love. It's amazing, but it seems like everyone else seems to be aware of what we have before we are."  
"Do we have what they thing we do?" he asked quietly.  
She looked up, it felt as though he'd actually hit her the way her heart stung.   
"You said you loved me. But did you mean it?" he asked.  
"I meant every syllable that left my mouth, Inu-Yasha. The question is, did you?"  
"Aa. I meant everything." he responded, it was barely audible the way he whispered.  
She handed the doll resembling her back to Inu-Yasha, wrinkling her nose slightly in mock distaste, "The least she could have done is given the poor thing a shirt."   
She saw him smile slightly and heard what she thought was a laugh. She gasped in surprise when she felt his arm come around her and pull her to him, though not ungently. He loosened up hearing her reaction and she realized that she'd somehow insulted him. Cursing herself for her stupidity for a second time she gently set her doll aside, and wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his yukata.   
Kagome could hear and feel his heartbeat and smiled, finding it was pounding just as fast as hers. She remembered as she inhaled deeply how he talked about her scent, he found it calming, even empowering, and he didn't have to tell her outright, she knew from what others said and what she herself observed. He fought harder when he could smell her and tell she was there. She really hadn't thought to take the time to memorize his scent but she knew that whatever he smelled like she liked it. She inhaled again, trying to memorize his smell and commit it to memory.   
"What are you doing?" he asked.  
"Trying to remember your smell." she replied.  
She felt him tense slightly, "Do you like the way I smell?"  
"Yeah...Very manly." she teased.  
He relaxed again but she still felt a sort of tension between them.   
"Inu-Yasha?"  
"Hmm?"  
"What do I smell like, exactly?" she asked carefully.  
"Huh? Why?"  
"I just want to know what exactly I smell like...to you." she insisted.  
He fell silent for a moment and she felt him pull her closer, heard his breath as he inhaled her scent.  
"It totally depends on your emotions and even on the time of the day or the week. It changes alot, but it remains basically the same." he tried to explain, "You smell warm and sweet, and depending on your mood it can smell cooler or warmer or sweeter or even salty."  
"I use scented soap. You're probably smelling that."  
"It goes beyond what you bathe with, Kagome." he replied, "It's your mark, your scent is only yours. No matter how much it changes, it always stays the same, understand?"  
"I suppose so...."  
"What do I smell like to you?" he asked after another long pause.  
Kagome was surprised by the question, "My nose isn't as good as yours, but I know your scent is yours. It's sweet smelling, but more spicy than sweet, and it's warm, almost like peppermint in hot cocoa. I don't know, it's hard to explain, and besides I already said my nose isn't as good as yours."  
"That's alright...Ashiteru, Kagome."  
She tightened her arms around him and buried her face in the hollow of his throat before replying, "Ashiteru, Inu-Yasha."   
His hands drifted to either side of her face and gently pulled her face toward his, until their lips met. It felt amazing, as it had the first time and she decided it probably would anytime she ever kissed him. She grasped the back of his neck, fingering the rosary beads around his neck and drifting to the ties of his yukata.  
She suddenly felt a burning sensation in her mouth, it wasn't unbearable or unpleasant, but she realized with a vague sort of realization that he was biting her tongue and she was tasting something besides her own blood. When he finally pulled back she found his lip was bleeding a little, but his demon blood was beginning to heal it even as she watched. She put a fingertip to her mouth and discovered the wound on her tongue was already healing, much to her surprise.  
"Ashiteru, Kagome. And guess what, you're mine now." Inu-Yasha whispered.  
She smiled and practically tackled him to the ground. She'd have to get more moments like this with him, even if it meant tackling him and kissing his lips off.  
  
******  
  
WildOne_111:So you're his mate now. Wow. You gonna tell your mother?  
InuBabe_001: Eventually.  
WildOne_111: Lucky you, Inu-kun sounds like a real romantic guy. Have you noticed any changes?  
InuBabe_001: Now that I'm 'his'? Besides his treating me better?  
WildOne_111: No! I mean do you notice anything different about you?  
InuBabe_001: I'm not pregnant if that's what you mean.  
WildOne_111: You know damn well that wasn't what I meant.  
InuBabe_001:Well, now that you mention it, I've noticed that not many boys seem interested in interacting with me. I mean, even Hojo seems just like another faceless boy now. My god, even Miroku has stopped trying to grope me. Do you think that might have something to do with that?  
WildOne_111: ... Maybe... Tell me though, really, would you call the babies, babies or puppies?  
InuBabe_001: You're hopeless U_U   
WildOne_111: You're so mean. T_T   
InuBabe_001: ,  
WildOne_111: ;p   
InuBabe_001: Wildrose no baka.  
WildOne_111: I'm offended.  
InuBabe_001: Gomen....NOT.  
WildOne_111: 0_0 Lol. J/k. Anywho, I gotta get off, my new boytoy is here and he's waiting outside.  
InuBabe_001: Is he wearing shiny armor?  
WildOne_111: No. But he is riding a horse. He's such a sweetheart to remember I love horses. G2G.  
InuBabe_001: Bye then.  
WildOne_111: Bye.  
  
Kagome smiled as the instant message window shut down and she closed the internet windows and shut the computer off. She snorted at the picture of some kid riding up to Wildrose wearing an outfit from one of those corny Western Movies of Custer's Last Stand, and a pair of sunglasses while he sat on a horse offering her a bouquet of roses, but then again, she had seen worse.   
"Kagome-oneechan, Inu-Yasha-kun is here." Souta said from the doorway as he led the taller hanyou in by the hand, or finger rather.  
Trying to maintain a good-natured smile Inu-Yasha gently disengaged his hand from Souta's grasp and shooed him out of the room with the promise of playing a videogame with him later.  
"Hello, Knight-in-Fire-Rat-Armor." she smiled as he pulled her into an embrace.  
  
******  
  
  
**Author's Note: I finished it! See, see, see?! I know it's lame, but gomen nasai and please please please leave a review starved author a nice little comment or flame or whatever to appease her. Arigatou. 


End file.
